Asylum and international protection in Cyprus

The Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection sets national migration and asylum policy and runs reception and accommodation centres for applicants. The Cyprus Asylum Service examines applications for international protection at first instance, coordinates and supervises the reception centres and carries out the EU rules that decide which member state is responsible for a claim.

The International Protection Administrative Court has exclusive jurisdiction over appeals against first-instance decisions. The Aliens and Immigration Unit of the Cyprus Police handles border and crossing controls, registration of third-country nationals, the detention centre for irregular migrants and returns. The EU Agency for Asylum supports Cyprus under a 2025 to 2026 operational plan running until 31 December 2026.

A claim for international protection is made once you are in the territory of the Republic or at its border; the EU rules that apply in Cyprus require applicants to apply in the EU country of first entry and to remain there until the responsible country is determined. The Pournara First Reception Centre is the main reception site where the EUAA supports the authorities; in 2025 it gave 2,336 people direct information on asylum procedures there.

Under the Screening Regulation that has applied since 12 June 2026, people who entered irregularly undergo identity, security, health and vulnerability checks and are then channelled to the regular asylum procedure, the border procedure or the return procedure.

The Pact on Migration and Asylum, with all its legislation in application across the EU since 12 June 2026, sets shorter time limits and stricter rules for abusive or repeated applications, balanced by free legal counselling throughout the procedures and particular attention to vulnerable groups.

A mandatory border procedure applies to applicants unlikely to need protection, those who mislead the authorities and those who present a security risk. It may last at most 12 weeks including the appeal, or 16 weeks if the applicant is relocated; a rejected applicant then enters a return border procedure of up to 12 weeks. Age is assessed first through a multidisciplinary approach before any medical examination.

The recast Reception Conditions Directive sets EU-wide standards for reception, and member states must ensure enough reception capacity and an adequate standard of living that protects physical and mental health. In Cyprus, reception and accommodation centres are run under the Deputy Ministry, with EUAA staff supporting their management, applicants with special needs and material support.

Detention is allowed only when necessary and proportionate after an individual assessment, as a last resort when less coercive measures are not possible, and subject to judicial review.

The Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, which replaced the earlier Dublin rules as part of the Pact, determines which EU country handles each application, and the Asylum Service applies it in Cyprus. Under the voluntary solidarity mechanism, more than 3,000 asylum seekers had been relocated from Cyprus to other EU member states by 17 September 2025.

A negative first-instance decision of the Asylum Service can be appealed to the International Protection Administrative Court, which has exclusive jurisdiction in these cases.