Can I open a Cyprus company bank account without visiting Cyprus?
Short answer
It depends on the bank. Cyprus anti-money-laundering rules allow identity to be verified remotely, but each bank sets its own policy and some still ask to meet at least one director or owner; electronic money institutions usually onboard fully online.
The Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering Law of 2007 lets a bank verify a customer's identity with electronic identification under the EU eIDAS rules, or with any other secure remote or electronic process that a Cyprus authority regulates, recognises, approves or accepts. The Central Bank's 2025 directive says the same: innovative technology may be used to verify identity, especially for remote customers, under risk controls.
So the rules are not the obstacle; the bank's own policy is. A bank must refuse the account if it cannot complete its checks, and its decisions have to be reasoned. We ask the chosen bank what it needs before you book a flight, and we plan any meeting around a trip you are making anyway.
An electronic money institution is the quicker route for a company that needs an IBAN now; a bank account can follow once the business has a track record.
Sources
Information, not advice. This answer describes the published position as it stands on 15 October 2026. Requirements, fees and processing times set by the authorities change from time to time; the current position is confirmed before any work starts.
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