A corruption storm that could shake Cyprus’ flagship fast-track investment residency scheme forced the resignation of Charalambos Charalambous, head of President Nikos Christodoulides’ private office, on 13 January. An eight-minute covertly recorded video—posted online on 8 January—appears to show senior officials discussing how to steer investors around bureaucratic hurdles, with references to corporate-social-responsibility donations. Charalambous, one of two officials overseeing the scheme, denies wrongdoing but stepped down “to protect the presidency.”(reuters.com)
Opposition parties claim the footage proves that political insiders can fast-track permits and naturalisation. The government counters that the clip is manipulated and has asked foreign cyber-forensics teams to trace its origin. Police confirmed a criminal probe.(reuters.com)
![Presidential Aide Resigns amid Video Scandal Targeting Fast-Track Investment Scheme]()
Amid the uncertainty, VisaHQ offers a practical lifeline: its Cyprus specialists can help investors and their advisers assemble correct documentation, stay abreast of evolving residency regulations and submit applications efficiently—full details are available at https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/.
The scandal revives memories of the 2020 “golden passport” debacle that led to the termination of Cyprus’ citizenship-by-investment programme and tighter due-diligence rules. Multinationals relying on the current Permanent Residency—Fast Track route (Regulation 6(2)) fear longer processing times as the Interior Ministry reviews safeguards.
Legal advisers are telling clients to document source-of-funds rigorously and prepare for enhanced screening interviews. Some wealth-management firms anticipate a temporary freeze on new applications until the investigation concludes, potentially redirecting investor interest to Greece’s Golden Visa or Malta’s Nomad Residence Permit.(reuters.com)
Opposition parties claim the footage proves that political insiders can fast-track permits and naturalisation. The government counters that the clip is manipulated and has asked foreign cyber-forensics teams to trace its origin. Police confirmed a criminal probe.(reuters.com)
Amid the uncertainty, VisaHQ offers a practical lifeline: its Cyprus specialists can help investors and their advisers assemble correct documentation, stay abreast of evolving residency regulations and submit applications efficiently—full details are available at https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/.
The scandal revives memories of the 2020 “golden passport” debacle that led to the termination of Cyprus’ citizenship-by-investment programme and tighter due-diligence rules. Multinationals relying on the current Permanent Residency—Fast Track route (Regulation 6(2)) fear longer processing times as the Interior Ministry reviews safeguards.
Legal advisers are telling clients to document source-of-funds rigorously and prepare for enhanced screening interviews. Some wealth-management firms anticipate a temporary freeze on new applications until the investigation concludes, potentially redirecting investor interest to Greece’s Golden Visa or Malta’s Nomad Residence Permit.(reuters.com)
