Statistics

Cyprus

Country Report: Statistics Last updated: 10/07/24

Author

Cyprus Refugee Council Visit Website

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: 2023

  Applicants in 2023 (2) Pending at

end of year

Total decisions  in year (3) Total in merit decisions (4) Total rejection (6) In merit rejection (4) (6) Refugee status

 

Subsidiary protection
Total 10,662 26,599 18,321 9,435 11,376 7,104 749 2314
Syria 6.199 12.801 1 43 2040
Nigeria 1.019 1.231 2,816 43 2
Afghanistan 736 1.505 30 119 1
DR Congo 427 3.495 765 34 4
Cameroon 421 2.233 838 44 50
Somalia 337 1.113 127 111 156
Pakistan 332 133 519 1 0
Bangladesh 325 69 517 3 0
Iraq 304 407 66 39 21
India 280 62 398 0 0

Source: Asylum Service.

Applications and granting of protection status at first instance: rates for 2023

  Overall rejection rate (2) (4) Refugee rate (1) (4) Subsidiary

protection rate (1) (4)

Syria 0.04% 2.06% 97.8%
Nigeria 98.4% 1.5% 0.06%
Afghanistan 20% 79.3% 0.66%
DRC 95.2% 4.23% 0.49%
Cameroon 89.9% 4.72% 5.36%
Somalia 32.2% 28.17% 39.59%
Pakistan 99.8% 0.19% 0%
Bangladesh 99.4% 0.57% 0%
Iraq 52.38% 30.95% 16.6%
India 100% 0% 0%

Source: Cyprus Asylum Service. Percentages calculated by Cyprus Refugee Council.

Gender/age breakdown of the total number of applicants: 2023

Disaggregated data on the gender and age of asylum applicants in 2023 was not available at the time of publication.

First instance and appeal decision rates: 2023

It should be noted that, during the same year, the first instance and appeal authorities handle different caseloads. Thus, the decisions below do not concern the same applicants.

  First instance Appeal
  Number Percentage Number Percentage
Total number of decisions 18,321 9,880
Positive decisions
  • Refugee status
472 14
  • Subsidiary protection
1,859 5
23
Negative decisions 7,104 2,422
Explicit Withdrawal 2,896 5,382
Implicit Withdrawal 2,033

Source: Asylum Service and IPAC

* The total number of decisions includes all decisions issued by the Asylum service and the IPAC, including positive decisions, rejections, implicit and explicit withdrawals and decisions on inadmissible applications.

Note: If the IPAC accepts the appeal, the decision of the Asylum Service will be cancelled. The IPAC has the jurisdiction to return the decision to the Asylum Service to be reviewed and a new decision issued or the IPAC may grant refugee status or subsidiary protection.[2]

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. In December 2022, the number of pending appeals in both the regular and accelerated procedure had reached 6,609, corresponding to 6,814 persons. In December 2023, the number of pending appeals in both the regular and accelerated procedure were 4,897 corresponding to 5,073 persons.

Refugee Reviewing Authority: Operations ceased in December 2020 and at the time approximately 400 cases were not concluded and were transferred back to the Asylum Service. In 2022 the Asylum Service set up a team to examine these cases. At the end of 2023, 281 decisions had been issued, of which 54 were granted refugee status; 23 subsidiary protection; 127 rejections; 28 explicit withdrawals and 49 implicit withdrawals; and 89 cases remain pending.[3]

 

 

 

[1] Order to Review, see section below sections on Appeals.

[2] Article 11 IPAC Law.

[3] Information provided by Asylum Service.

Table of contents

  • Statistics
  • Overview of the legal framework
  • Overview of the main changes since the previous report update
  • Asylum Procedure
  • Reception Conditions
  • Detention of Asylum Seekers
  • Content of International Protection
  • ANNEX I – Transposition of the CEAS in national legislation