Whilst the spouses of Cypriots are eligible to become nationals after three years, most migrants must wait eight. Even their descendants born in Cyprus must go through the same naturalisation procedure. To become nationals, applicants must only officially meet the condition of a vague ‘good character clause.' Yet since the Council of Ministers enjoys a great deal of discretion, applicants have been rejected in practice because of their level of Greek language, income or criminal record. The procedure is long and expensive, though persons of Cypriot descent get a significant discount. This discretion creates insecurity since residents' applications can be rejected or their status withdrawn for many reasons and with no right to appeal. Cyprus allows dual nationality for naturalising citizens, but not for the Cyprus-born children of migrant parents.
