Why do Cyprus banks ask Lebanese clients more questions?
Short answer
Because Lebanon is on the EU's list of high-risk third countries for money laundering since 2025, so EU banks must apply enhanced checks to business linked to it. Expect more paperwork and a slower account opening.
The European Commission added Lebanon to the list by a delegated regulation published on 16 July 2025. The FATF also kept Lebanon under increased monitoring in June 2026.
A complete file is what moves an application forward: where the money comes from, what the business does and with whom. We prepare it to the bank's own checklist before the first meeting.
Sources
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1184 (EUR-Lex) eur-lex.europa.eu
- Directive (EU) 2015/849, Article 18a (EUR-Lex) eur-lex.europa.eu
- FATF: jurisdictions under increased monitoring, June 2026 fatf-gafi.org
Information, not advice. This answer describes the published rules as they stand on 12 October 2026, checked against the sources listed. Tax and residence rules depend on your own circumstances and change; check your position with a tax adviser qualified in Lebanon and in Cyprus before you act on it.
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