in-cyprus 9 May 2025 - by Theodora Nicolaou
The Deputy Ministry of Migration & International Protection has resumed processing asylum applications from Syrian nationals after a one-year suspension period.
Ministry sources state applications are being evaluated according to Cyprus and EU legal frameworks, with some applications not meeting the established criteria for international protection. Officials note many recent arrivals are single Sunni Muslim men who indicate employment as their migration motivation rather than persecution.
Current figures show approximately 12,900 pending asylum applications from Syrian nationals, alongside 13,000 Syrians who have already been granted protection status. The government has indicated plans to review existing protection statuses based on current conditions in Syria.
Cases involving asylum seekers with criminal records are also under review, according to ministry sources.
Since December 2024, approximately 2,300 Syrians have voluntarily withdrawn their asylum applications or requested cancellation of their protection status. Many have returned to Syria through flights coordinated between the ministry and police authorities.
Ministry data indicates Syrian migration has decreased significantly, with 1,030 new asylum applications from Syrian nationals recorded during the first four months of 2025.
