Overview of the main changes since the previous report update

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The report was previously updated in April 2025.

International protection

• Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection: Until 2024, all issues related to migration and international protection were the responsibility of departments and services of the Ministry of Interior, whereas issues related to reception and hospitality fell with the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare. In June 2024, a new deputy ministry was established, the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection, which is responsible for the overall management of migration and asylum issues. In January 2026, the responsibility of overseeing reception facilities of UASC was transferred to the Cyprus Asylum Service from the Social Welfare Services.
• Key international protection statistics: The backlog of pending asylum applications remains high, with long processing periods, especially for well-founded cases, except for applicants examined under fast-track and accelerated procedures. In 2025, the number of asylum applications submitted concerned 4,600 persons and the total number of decisions issued concerned 9,827 persons (470 refugee status, 207 subsidiary protection and 8,362 rejections); 15,777 asylum applicants were pending examination at year end at first instance before the Asylum Service and 7,370 at 2nd instance, before the IPAC. (see Statistics).

Asylum procedure

• Access to the territory: In 2025, there were reports of pushbacks at sea and land. Specifically, the interception and subsequent pushback of boats carrying Syrians nationals and forcibly returned to Syria from where they had reportedly fled. Furthermore, two incidents were reported involving delays by the Republic of Cyprus in granting access to asylum procedures or refusal to receive asylum-seekers from the buffer zone in 2025 (see Access to the territory and push backs).
• Arrivals and asylum applications: The number of submitted asylum applications in 2025 declined once again in comparison to the applications submitted in 2024 and 2023. The majority still arrived by irregularly crossing the ‘green line’. Examination of asylum applications submitted by Syrian national resumed examination in early 2025. The majority of cases examined concern men that are alone in Cyprus, from areas in the north of Syria, mainly Idlib. A high number of these cases are rejected with the reasoning being that the areas from which they come from are safe and they have left due to economic reasons. (see Differential treatment of specific nationalities in the procedure).
• Appeals: In early 2026, the IPAC issued some 10 decisions, rejecting appeals submitted by Syrian nationals. Based on the circumstances of the cases, namely that they concern men, able to work, with no vulnerabilities, not members of minorities and of specific areas in Syria, the Court found that they will not face persecution or a real risk of serious harm. (see Differential treatment of specific nationalities in the procedure).

A draft law was submitted before Parliament reducing the appeal times from 30 days to 20 days for decisions issued under the regular procedure and from 15 days to 10 days for all other decisions. The reduction in time limits, which will take effect in early 2026, combined with limited access to legal counselling and legal aid is expected to have a negative impact on applicants’ access to appeal procedures. (see Appeal).

Reception conditions

• Reception standards: Reception standards remain below adequate levels, exposing asylum applicants to risks of homelessness and destitution. Conditions in the reception centres improved, however the majority of asylum applicants are hosted in the community rather than in reception centres and often live in extremely poor conditions. The timely identification, and especially the response to the needs of vulnerable individuals, including children, both within reception facilities and in the community, is below standards (see Reception Conditions).
• Racist attacks: In 2025, violence against migrants continued, including frequent racist attacks especially against non-EU delivery-persons, hate speech, police profiling, incidents of police entering private accommodation to identify undocumented persons (see Reception Conditions).
• Access to the labour market: Access to the labour market remains restricted to nine months after submitting an asylum application, and to limited sectors. The measure has resulted in increase of undocumented labour and has contributed to businesses’ reluctance to hire asylum applicants. (see Access to the labour market).
• Children: There is a significant number of refugee children in Cyprus, either accompanied by family members or unaccompanied/separated. Gaps remain in the protection of children, particularly in the First Reception Centre of Pournara. In January 2026 the responsibility of overseeing reception facilities of UASC was transferred to the Cyprus Asylum Service from the Social Welfare Services. Children remain without adequate guardianship and often without effective legal representation, and are as such exposed to various risks, such as trafficking, sexual or labour exploitation. Procedures regulating the assessment of the child’s best interest are also lacking (see Special reception needs of vulnerable groups).

Detention of asylum applicants

• Statistics on detention: The number of detained asylum applicants remains low, however alternatives to detention are still not systematically applied even in cases of vulnerable persons (see Alternatives to detention).
• Detention conditions: The new Limnes Centre that was expected to be operational in 2025 has yet to be operational, including the pre-removal section for persons who will be repatriated that will replace Menogia Detention Centre. As a result asylum applicants continue to be detained in holding cells in police stations across the country in sub-standard conditions and often face obstacles in accessing asylum procedures and legal remedies to challenge detention and/or rejected asylum applications (see Detention of Asylum Applicants).

Content of international protection

• Withdrawal of protection status: 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. 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. (see Withdrawal of protections status)
• Integration opportunities: The lack of integration opportunities remains one of the weakest elements of the national asylum system. A new integration plan, which was developed under EU funding with the aim of adopting a multi-year integration strategy, was finalised but eventually abandoned During 2025 and after a series of revisions that took place over the last few years, the drafting of the National Strategy and Action Plan for the Integration of Third-country Nationals was concluded and they are expected to start being implemented during 2026. They contain a conceptual framework for promoting and assessing integration process of legally residing non-EU citizens, including BIPs, and a number of relevant actions and services. The proposed activities include or extend actions already implemented by various actors, such as civic society, private actors, local/governmental authorities etc and propose additional ones, to cover a wide array of thematic areas. (see Content of International Protection).
• Naturalisation: An extremely low number of beneficiaries of international protection are able to satisfy the requirements for applying for naturalisation, following the 2023 amendments to the Law. In 2025 very few if any BIPs applied for naturalisation. This includes BIPs that came to Cyprus at a young age and grew up in Cyprus or were born in Cyprus. (see Naturalisation).
• Family reunification: Access to family reunification for persons with refugee status remains extremely problematic and in most cases applications are pending for extensive periods far exceeding the time limit prescribed in the Law. Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection (98% of Syrians present in the country) are not eligible for family reunification and often resort to irregular means to obtain reunification with family members (see Family reunification).

Temporary protection

The information given hereafter constitutes a short summary of the main changes to the annex on Temporary Protection in Cyprus. For further information, see Annex on Temporary Protection. 

Temporary protection procedure

• Legal framework: The TPD was transposed into the Refugee Law in 2004 and activated in March 2022. It is available for Ukrainian nationals who were residing in Ukraine before 01 February 2022 and third-country nationals who benefited from international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine, including stateless persons. Applications for TP can be made online and a residence permit will be issued soon after. Temporary Protection has been extended automatically until March 2027.
• Registrations for temporary protection: From the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive until 31 December 2025, 28,550 individuals have been registered in Cyprus for temporary protection. From February 2022 until the end of 2025, 25,467 persons issued a residence permit with the Migration Department.

Content of temporary protection

• Access to rights: TP holders have access to all rights included in the Directive, upon registration and in most cases without obstacles. Regarding financial support, a small one-off amount is provided, and accommodation options are limited. However, access to the labour market is immediate, which has facilitated a significant number of TP holders to secure employment. Access to education is immediate but with limited support measures.