Author
Overview of statistical practice
The Asylum Service, a department of the Ministry of Interior, is the authority responsible for asylum-related statistical collection in Cyprus. The below statistics have been provided by the Asylum Service.
Applications and granting of protection status at first instance: 2021
| Applicants in 2021 | Pending at end 2021 | Refugee status | Subsidiary protection | Rejection | Refugee rate | Sub. Prot. rate | Rejection rate | |
| Total | 13,773 | 18,808 | 291 | 1,983 | 9,962 | 2.38% | 16.21% | 81.42% |
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Breakdown by countries of origin of the total numbers
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| Syrian Arab Republic | 3,051 | 5,525 | 24 | 1.913 | 6 | 1.2% | 98.5% | 0.3% |
| DR Congo | 1,723 | 2,183 | 6 | 5 | 233 | 2.5% | 2.05% | 95.5% |
| Nigeria | 1,555 | 1,793 | 9 | 0 | 498 | 1.8% | 0% | 98.2% |
| Pakistan | 998 | 525 | 3 | 0 | 1,327 | 0.2% | 0% | 99.8% |
| India | 986 | 709 | 0 | 0 | 2,117 | 0% | 0% | 100% |
| Cameroon | 775 | 2,529 | 48 | 0 | 407 | 10.5% | 0% | 89.4% |
| Bangladesh | 686 | 291 | 4 | 1 | 1,922 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| Somalia | 677 | 840 | 18 | 32 | 32 | 21.9% | 39% | 39% |
| Nepal | 619 | 682 | 0 | 0 | 471 | 0% | 0% | 100% |
| Sierra Leone | 460 | 574 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 0% | 0% | 100% |
Source: Asylum Service.
The total number of applicants includes subsequent applications. The number of first-time applications was 13,235. Statistics on decisions cover the decisions taken throughout the year, regardless of whether they concern applications lodged that year or in previous years. “Rejection” only covers negative decisions on the merit of the application, not including inadmissibility decisions.
Gender/age breakdown of the total number of applicants: 2021
| Number | Percentage | |
| Total number of applicants | 13,773 | – |
| Men, incl. children | N/A | N/A |
| Women, incl. children | N/A | N/A |
| Children | N/A | N/A |
| Unaccompanied children | 659 | N/A |
Source: Asylum Service.
Comparison between first instance and appeal decision rates: 2021
| First instance | Appeal | |||
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| Total number of decisions | 14,868 | – | 3,680 | – |
| Positive decisions | 1653 | 11.1% | 13 | 0.3% |
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181 | 1.2% | 7 | 0.1% |
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1,472 | 9.9% | 0 | 0% |
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n/a | n/a | 6 | 0.10% |
| Negative decisions | 9,555 | 64.2% | 2,549 | 69.2% |
| Subsequent application (inadmissible) | 1,796 | 12.1% | n/a | n/a |
| Withdrawals (implicit/explicit) | 1,806 | 12.1% | 1,118 | 30.3% |
Source: Asylum Service and IPAC.
*If the IPAC accepts the appeal, the decision of the Asylum Service will be cancelled. However, the Court has the jurisdiction to return the decision to the Asylum Service to be reviewed or it may grant refugee status or subsidiary protection.[1]
International Protection Administrative Court (IPAC): At the end of 2020, there were 1,100 pending appeals before the IPAC. Throughout 2021, the number of pending appeals registered a sharp increase, reaching a total of 6,537 at the end of the year. This includes all appeals submitted relevant to the Refugee Law, therefore, although the vast majority are appeals related to international protection claims, the number also includes appeals against detention orders, family reunification decisions, reception condition decisions etc.
Refugee Reviewing Authority: Operations ceased in December 2020 and at the time 432 cases involving a total of 665 persons were not concluded and were transferred back to the Asylum Service. In early 2022, the majority of these cases are still pending as the Asylum Service has not commenced their review.
[1] Article 11 IPAC Law.