Inheritance & Probate in Cyprus

For clients looking to address an inheritance in Cyprus or a probate in Cyprus it can be particularly stressful when you are tasked with dealing with the estate of someone who has passed away or receiving an inheritance where Cypriot assets are involved

Getting the right legal advice when handling an inheritance or probate in Cyprus can help you ease the burden and make things much simpler, saving you time, stress, and money.

With decades of combined experience, our Cypriot legal team are on hand to assist you with all aspects of the process.

  • Advice on how Cyprus inheritance laws apply to your estate.
  • Making a Cyprus Will (including clear advice on the benefits of doing so)
  • Powers of Attorney in Cyprus (to empower someone else to act for you in Cyprus)
  • Probate in Cyprus  (including handling the process for you)
  • Advice on how an Inheritance in Cyprus affects your UK inheritance.
  • Advice for people who have property to be inherited in Cyprus.

We are headquartered in the UK, meaning we offer the security of dealing with UK-regulated and insured solicitors, combined with our independent legal team in Cyprus providing extensive knowledge of inheritance and probate rules in Cyprus.

For specific advice on inheritance and probate in Cyprus tailored to your needs, please get in touch with our friendly team based in the UK..

Call: 01438 840 258                    Email: admin@judicaregroup.com

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Why use Judicare for an inheritance or probate in Cyprus?

Decades of combined inheritance law experience. Plain English advice.

We work hand in hand with trusted lawyers and law firm in Cyprus, so clients get the very best legal advice. 

At the same time, as UK-based lawyers, we can answer your questions and keep you informed in plain English, with no unnecessary legal jargon.

UK-regulated solicitors. Real peace of mind.

As a UK law firm, we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). This means you can be confident we will adhere to the strict standards expected of UK lawyers.

Complete understanding of how UK and Cypriot inheritance laws interact

While a law firm in Cyprus might be able to help with Cypriot inheritance law, what happens if an estate has assets in both the UK and Cyprus? Or even spread over three or more jurisdictions?

As UK solicitors we are perfectly placed to advise on what happens when you need to deal with the inheritance rules in more than one jurisdiction at once.

AIPP membership

When dealing with Cypriot property inheritance, working with a law firm with strong international property expertise is a good idea. This is one area where Judicare particularly excels.

We are a member of the Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP), which was set up to improve standards of professionalism in a largely unregulated overseas property market. As AIPP members, we have signed up to a Code of Conduct that assures we adhere to the highest standards of honesty and professional integrity.

Decades of collective experience dealing with Cypiot inheritance & probate

Our  Cyprus inheritance lawyers have decades of combined experience dealing with all aspects of inheritance planning and estate administration in Cyprus. This means we know all of the issues you need to consider, exactly what needs to be done and all of the common problems you can run into (and the not so common ones).

Drawing on our collective experience, we can help you to plan effectively and make sure every stage of your inheritance planning or estate administration goes ahead as smoothly as possible.

 

Cyprus inheritance and probate FAQ's

Is inheritance & Probate in Cyprus the same as the UK?

The Cyprus legal system has its roots in the UK law, however, over the years it has acquired its own unique differences. If you have found yourself in a situation where you need to deal with an inheritance issue in Cyprus, and don’t really know where to begin, then in order to avoid any unforeseen hurdles, or to fall foul of the advice offered on various forums on the internet, one should always seek professional legal advice to navigate this complicated area of law.

Do I need a lawyer to help me inherit in Cyprus?

Surprisingly, this is the most common question that we get asked. As with all legal matters, you take a huge risk if you try to deal with the transaction yourself without expert legal support and so we strongly advise using a lawyer to assist you when dealing with an inheritance and probate matter in Cyprus.
Having a lawyer to help you with an inheritance in Cyprus ensures the process is carried out effectively from the very beginning, All the necessary legal issues are properly dealt with, and the risk of potential problems is minimised.
The probate administrator must be a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus and appointing a lawyer in Cyprus will guarantee a trustworthy administrator who will safeguard your rights. In addition to the probate administrator, you will also need to appoint a guarantor. 

How does inheritance work in Cyprus?

Cyprus inheritance law limits the administration of the Estate in Cyprus, meaning that you can leave your property only to your relatives, usually the first in line which includes the spouse and the children. Here is an example:

  •  A person has deceased without a will, leaving a child and a spouse, each will receive 50%.

Even when drafting a Will, your relatives can receive a limited disposable share unless you specify in your Will that you would like the inheritance to be administrated according to your nationality. The Law in Cyprus Wills and Succession (Chapter 195) defines all the rights and limitations of each heir in each case. 

Here are some examples of possible limitations:

  • The testator has one (1) spouse and two (2) children: therefore, the spouse will receive according to the law on the Wills, 50% of the estate, and each child will receive 25%.
  • The testator does not have any other living relative of first line other than a spouse, therefore the whole share (100%) can be left to living spouse. 
  • The testator wants to leave all property to a friend through a will, but there is a living spouse as well. The friend’s share will be limited to 50% and the living spouse will receive 50%.

Regardless of the above positions, you will still have to go through the process of appointing a probate administrator and a guarantor, secure the relevant tax clearance and transfer any immovable property, which all happens under Court’s watch in Cyprus.

What are typical steps an inheritance will follow in Cyprus?

Before beginning an inheritance administration, one should gather all the relevant documents such as death certificates, birth and marriage certificates, Title deeds if there is an immovable property within the estate and copies of passports. This will help us to identify what assets there are and who are the beneficiaries.

If the deceased left a Will in the UK, you should notify us about this because it might include a property in Cyprus. In such case, firstly, the Will must be executed in the UK. One would then acquire a Court’s order for the follow up execution of the Will in Cyprus along with a true copy of the Will in the UK. These documents then must be redeemed at the Court in Cyprus to administer the Estate in Cyprus.

Once we have a full picture, we hope you will appoint our team as a trusted administrator and the guarantor, so we can make the process as smooth as possible.

How quickly can you sell a property you have inherited in Cyprus?

You can sell the property as an heir even while the administration is ongoing. In some cases where there is a conflict between the beneficiaries, the Court may order the sale of the property to liquify the asset for a smoother distribution of the shares. 
The Law on Administration of Deceased Inheritances (Chapter 189) defines all the ways that an administrator can use and handle the estate of the deceased. 

What constitutes Domicile in Cyprus?

One should be mindful that each case is unique, as many factors need to be taken into consideration before we can offer a legal advice. We would be happy to consult you and provide a plan tailored to your wishes and your situation.