Child benefit in Cyprus: conditions and amounts

Money and taxes in Cyprus Checked: 8 November 2026 Changed: 8 May 2026

€599.77 – €2,114.51per child a year with income up to €22,000, by number of children
5 yearsof lawful residence; years in an EU country count
31 Decemberlast day to apply for the year

In short

Who it applies to: Families with children under 18 who have lived in Cyprus lawfully and continuously for at least five years. The service counts years in another EU country. Cypriot citizenship is not required. A child also counts up to 20 while still at secondary school, and up to 21 while serving in the National Guard.
What it costs: Applying costs nothing. The amount depends on the number of children and the family income for the previous year. With income up to €22,000 a year, each child brings: €599.77 if there is one child; €719.12 with two; €1,318.89 with three; €2,114.51 with four or more. Higher incomes receive less.
How long it takes: The service takes about 2 months over a complete application; longer if documents are missing or part of your life or income is tied to another country. Families with one or two children are paid once a year as a lump sum; those with three or more monthly after the first four months of the year. Payments for 2026 began on 29 May.
Where to apply: You apply online on gov.cy through an identified CY Login account. If you are married or living with a partner, each of you completes a separate part from your own account. A first application also needs the authorisation form: a paper original taken to a Welfare Benefits service point by appointment (8000 2000), or an electronic signature with eID.
If your case differs: The deadline is 31 December of the year you are claiming for: miss it and you lose that year’s benefit unless there is a serious reason. Anyone who received the benefit for 2025 does not reapply for 2026. Changes in the family or income must be reported within a month. If the parents live together, the benefit is paid to the mother.

Your case

If the family has lived lawfully in Cyprus for five years or more

Apply if you are within the income and asset limits. Citizenship does not matter: non-EU nationals attach a residence or immigration permit for themselves and family members, EU citizens the registration certificate (Βεβαίωση Εγγραφής). An expired permit must be replaced with a renewed one.

If you have been in Cyprus for less than five years and the family lived in another EU country before

Apply: the service treats residence in an EU country as residence in Cyprus, so the years add up. The five years still have to be reached with the EU years included. Gather proof of your earlier address in advance: the service does not publish which document it accepts, so ask on 1450.

If you have been in Cyprus for less than five years and the family lived outside the EU before

No benefit for now: the counting rule does not cover years in, for example, Russia or Israel. Apply in the year you reach five years. Until then, what remains is what does not depend on length of residence: free state school and compulsory pre-primary, the fee subsidy for children over four, and the tax deductions for children.

If you are raising a child alone and receive child benefit

Επίδομα Μονογονεϊκής Οικογένειας is added to it, monthly for each child, if family income does not exceed €49,000. A single parent is unmarried, widowed, divorced, or has a spouse declared missing by a court or serving a sentence of six months or more. Spouses who live apart without a divorce still apply together. Payment stops if the parent and children leave Cyprus for more than 30 days in a year, except for medical treatment.

Deadlines and conditions

5 years of lawful, continuous residence before applyingΝ.167(Ι)/2002, art. 4(1): «κατά τα πέντε (5), τουλάχιστον, έτη που προηγούνται της υποβολής της αίτησης». Service conditions page: «η διαμονή σε Κράτος της ΕΕ, συνυπολογίζεται ως διαμονή στη Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία».
an application for a year is due by 31 December of that yearΝ.167(Ι)/2002, art. 7(2)–(3); ministry announcement of 8 May 2026: applications for 2026 «μέχρι και την 31η Δεκεμβρίου 2026».
a child under 18 living with youΝ.167(Ι)/2002, art. 2, «εξαρτώμενα τέκνα».
family income of no more than €49,000 with one childΝ.167(Ι)/2002, Annex, para. 2(α); the same limits on the service conditions page.
no more than €59,000 with two childrenΝ.167(Ι)/2002, Annex, para. 2(β); the same limits on the service conditions page.
no more than €64,000 with three childrenΝ.167(Ι)/2002, Annex, para. 2(γ); the same limits on the service conditions page.
no more than €69,000 with four children; with five or more there is no limitΝ.167(Ι)/2002, Annex, para. 2(δ); the same limits on the service conditions page.
family assets worth no more than €1,200,000Ν.167(Ι)/2002, art. 4(4), Annex, para. 3: assets disposed of in the 24 months before applying also count; not applied with five or more children.

Show all conditions (18)

the highest amounts apply with family income up to €22,000 a yearThe Welfare Benefits Management Service FAQ, section «Ύψος Επιδόματος Τέκνου»: family income «από 0 - €22.000,00»; yearly amount per child.
one child: €599.77 a yearThe Welfare Benefits Management Service FAQ, section «Ύψος Επιδόματος Τέκνου»: family income «από 0 - €22.000,00»; yearly amount per child.
two children: €719.12 a year eachThe Welfare Benefits Management Service FAQ, section «Ύψος Επιδόματος Τέκνου»: family income «από 0 - €22.000,00»; yearly amount per child.
three children: €1,318.89 a year eachThe Welfare Benefits Management Service FAQ, section «Ύψος Επιδόματος Τέκνου»: family income «από 0 - €22.000,00»; yearly amount per child.
four or more children: €2,114.51 a year eachThe Welfare Benefits Management Service FAQ, section «Ύψος Επιδόματος Τέκνου»: family income «από 0 - €22.000,00»; yearly amount per child.
a single parent receives €216.25 a month per child with income up to €39,000The service FAQ on the single-parent benefit: monthly amount per child.
the higher amount applies with income up to €39,000Ν.167(Ι)/2002, Annex, Table Β; the same bands on the service FAQ.
€192.78 a month per child with income from €39,000 to €49,000The service FAQ on the single-parent benefit: monthly amount per child.
a complete application takes about 2 monthsService FAQ: a complete application «παίρνει περίπου 2 μήνες».
an appeal against refusal is due within 30 daysΝ.167(Ι)/2002, art. 11(1): appeal to the Deputy Minister within thirty days.

How to prove years in another EU country

Ask the service (1450) which document it accepts and whether the rule extends to a non-EU national who lived in the EU.

What breaks continuity, and a child under five

The service does not publish how long you may spend abroad with residence still counted as continuous. If a child was born less than five years ago or arrived after the parents, check before applying.

Sources

Ν.167(Ι)/2002 on child benefit — consolidated textwww.cylaw.orgWho counts as a child and a single parent, five years, limits, deadlines, appeal.
Regulation (EC) 883/2004, art. 6eur-lex.europa.euPeriods of residence in another Member State are counted as if completed at home.
Child benefit conditionswww.wbas.dmsw.gov.cyThe line on counting EU residence, and the limits.
Child benefit FAQwww.wbas.dmsw.gov.cyAmounts, processing time, applying.
Single-parent benefit FAQwww.wbas.dmsw.gov.cyMonthly amounts and when payment stops.
Documents for the applicationwww.wbas.dmsw.gov.cyWhat EU and non-EU nationals attach.
2026 benefit announcementwww.gov.cyNo reapplication for 2025 recipients, payments from 29 May, deadline and authorisation form.