Facts and Figures

Cyprus has consistently received the highest number of first-time asylum applicants in relation to its population over the past six years. For this reason, the reception capacity of the island has been stretched to its limits resulting to an inability by the state to receive and host such a large number of applicants. 

In order to address this situation, the Cypriot Government has adopted a number of measures, such as the accelerated examination of asylum applications submitted by nationals from safe countries of origin. This means that these asylum applications are examined within one month from the day of their submission.  According to statistics, 96% of these applications are rejected.

APRIL 2024 CYPRUS GOVERMENT ANNOUNCED NEW MEASURES: 

Cyprus will no longer process asylum applications by those arriving from Syria, President Nikos Christodoulides announced, as a large number of people from the war-torn country continue to flee to the island nation.

“On account of the latest mass arrival of Syrian political asylum seekers by sea, processing of applications from persons of Syrian origin has been suspended,” Christodoulides said in a post on social media platform X.

The Cypriot government said the suspension is also partly because of ongoing efforts to get the European Union to redesignate some areas of the war-torn country as safe zones to enable repatriations.

People arriving from Syria will have to remain in the overflowing reception camps for as long as new arrangements are made…