Land register extracts from Cyprus

Our company Schmidt & Schmidt provides Extracts from the land register of Cyprus with translation and Apostille.

Unlike many other European countries, the land register of Cyprus represents a uniform system containing both legal and cadastral information.

The process of land register establishment began in Cyprus during the time of Ottoman Empire rule in 1858. After Cyprus fell under British control, new authorities at first left the Ottoman system unchanged, however in 1890 due to its inconvenience connected with a large number of different registers British people embarked on their transfer and unification. Since 1904 mapping of the island’s territory started. In 1907 – 1929 evaluation and registration of rights of ownership to real estate were carried out in Cyprus, and three registers were established: land, tax and register of values. During the 1949 reform, laws on land registration dating back to the Ottoman Empire and colonial period were cancelled. In 1995 the land register computerization process was launched.

The Department of Lands and Studies (Τμήμα Κτηματολογίου και Χωρομετρίας) is responsible for land register maintenance, which forms part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus (Υπουργείο Εσωτερικών). It maintains the Land Information System (Σύστημα Πληροφοριών Γης). Besides, the Department is responsible for all services related to registration of rights, estimation, geodesy, cartography and management of state property.

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1) Divisions of the Department of Lands and Research

• Management division
• Registration division
• Property division
• State land management division
• Estimation division
• Research department
• Cartography division
• Geodesy division
• Data system administration and maintenance division
• Mortgage and sales division

Chief land officers and regional land officers are subordinate directly to the Department’s Director. Regional branches are subordinate to regional land officers, and divisions of the Department’s central offices - to chief land officers.

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2) Sections of the Land Information System

• legal section
• fiscal section
• cadastral section
• research section

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3) The Register contains the following information:

• location
• description
• area
• fiscal value
• encumbrances
• easements
• transactions
• lease
• ownership shares
• personality of owner

Over a million real estate titles in total are registered in Cyprus.

The Land Register of Cyprus is not public. In order to obtain an official extract from it, one must be the owner of the land, or confirm their legitimate interest through the local court.

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4) Search criteria

• personal data of owner
• exact location of a land plot

An official extract from the land register may be used as an official document under any legal circumstances, including – for confirmation of rights to real estate. Electronic extract – for obtaining information and analysis.

* some data may be unavailable for certain items, or may be provided for a fee.

Time for obtaining extracts in Cyprus shall be specified individually.

Extracts from the Land Register of Cyprus are provided subject to the laws of Great Britain and to the Law on personal data protection.

Moreover, you can order certified translations of your documents.

The requests shall be processed within one business day. Courier delivery of the apostilled extract shall be paid additionally according to the courier tariff rates.

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5) Apostilled extracts from Cyprus

Cyprus joined the Hague Convention on simplified legalization of documents on July 26, 1972. On April 30, 1973 the Convention came into force.
Thus, documents issued in Cyprus are subject to legalization based on the apostilling procedure, after certified translation such documents acquire full legal force on the territory of all other Hague Convention Member States.

As a rule of thumb, apostillation of extracts takes about two weeks.