Author
According to the Refugee Law, the Head of the Asylum Service withdraws refugee status if it is found that:[1]
- The misrepresentation or omission of facts, including the use of false documents, on behalf of the person, was decisive for the granting of refugee status;
- The person should have been or is excluded from being a refugee in accordance with the exclusion clause under Article 5 of the Refugee Law;
- There are reasonable grounds for regarding the person as a danger to the security of the Republic; or
- The person concerned constitutes a danger to the Cypriot community, having been convicted by a final judgment of a particularly serious crime.
Regarding beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, the status is withdrawn if the Head of the Asylum Service finds in retrospect, based on events that are revealed and after the status has been granted, that the misrepresentation or omission of facts, including the use of false documents on behalf of the person, was decisive for the granting of subsidiary protection status.[2]
Furthermore, in 2025, the Refugee Law was amended so that withdrawal procedures can be initiated against beneficiaries of international protection who have committed serious crimes that fall under the exclusion clauses after receiving their status. [3] Following the amendment such procedures were initiated in a number of cases involving serious offences such as murder, sexual offences, human trafficking, and involvement in organised crime, while excluding petty offences such as theft, drug possession for personal use, or destruction of property. The procedures are understood to have initially been initiated for individuals currently in prison.[4]
The same procedure as that for Cessation is followed.
In 2023, refugee status was withdrawn in 6 cases, concerning 8 persons and subsidiary protection was withdrawn in 15 cases, concerning 20 persons. In 2024, refugee status was withdrawn in 15 cases, concerning 25 persons and subsidiary protection was withdrawn in 151 cases, concerning 313 persons.[5]
In 2025, refugee status was withdrawn in 28 cases, concerning 52 persons. Whereas, subsidiary protection was withdrawn in 553 cases, concerning 1,298 persons.[6] The number of withdrawn subsidiary protection was significantly higher in 2025 as it includes Syrian BIP that opted to withdraw status and return voluntarily to Syria.
There are no statistics or information available on the success rate of appeals or legal aid applications against withdrawal decisions.
[1] Article 6A Refugee Law.
[2] Article 19(3A) Refugee Law.
[3] Article 5(4) Refugee Law.
[4] Information provided by Cyprus Refugee Council.
[5] Based on statistics issued by the Cyprus Asylum Service.
[6] Based on statistics issued by the Cyprus Asylum Service.