A new Plan to Assist the Voluntary Repatriation of Families in Syria for 2026 was presented by the Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection, Nikolas Ioannidis. The plan provides financial incentives for the return of families to Syria, as well as the possibility of a temporary stay of an adult family member in Cyprus for work purposes. The implementation of the plan starts on June 9, 2026 and will end on October 30, 2026.
The new Scheme concerns families of Syrian nationals, including couples without children, where at least one of the two spouses has applied for international protection or received international protection status before December 31, 2024.
Under the Scheme, an adult family member will be able to remain in Cyprus for employment purposes, with a special two-year residence permit and free access to the labour market until 31 August 2028. The rest of the family will be able to be repatriated to Syria, receiving financial incentives. Specifically, an amount of €2,000 will be provided for the returning husband or wife, €1,500 for each child and an additional amount of €1,000 per family for those families who already have international protection status and not just a pending asylum application.
Those interested will be able to submit an application at the offices of the Asylum Service, at the District Units of the Aliens and Immigration Service of the Police and at the "Pournara" Control, Sorting, Reception and Identification Center.
The presentation took place at the "Theofilos Georgiadis" Amphitheater of the Press and Information Office, in the presence of representatives of competent services and economic bodies.
The Deputy Minister said that the Plan links migration management, returns, legal employment and the needs of the labor market, noting that the Government's political direction is "asylum only to those who are really entitled to it, repatriation of those who have no legal reason to stay and granting residence permits through legal immigration routes".
As he said, after the change of government in Syria in December 2024, about 5,000 Syrians have withdrawn their asylum application or have renounced subsidiary protection status and have voluntarily returned to Syria. He added that instructions have been given to resume the examination of asylum applications of Syrian nationals, based on the new data.
According to Mr. Ioannidis, to date, more than 1,500 Syrian asylum applications have been rejected, while the Administrative Court of International Protection rejected the first appeals it heard and ratified decisions of the Asylum Service.
He also said that the revocation of asylum status by Syrians has already begun for the same reasons for which asylum applications are rejected. "Those whose asylum applications have been rejected or whose asylum status has been revoked will have to leave Cyprus," he said.
The total pending asylum applications in the Republic are currently less than 14,000, of which the pending applications of Syrian nationals are less than 10,000, according to the data he presented.
The Deputy Minister said that the financial incentives given by the new Plan come from European programs and are part of the wider return policy of the Republic of Cyprus, which is largely financed by the European Union.
Answering a question, Mr. Ioannides said that in last year's pilot project about 900 people, mainly family members, participated, and that no incidents of returning to Cyprus for reunification with families were recorded.
Asked about the arrested in relation to terrorism issues, he said that the operational part is handled by the Police, with whom the Deputy Ministry cooperates closely. He added that the role of the Deputy Ministry is to monitor persons who have a residence permit or international protection and, in case of violation of obligations, to proceed with the appropriate actions.
Mr. Ioannides said that the Plan serves the organized, voluntary, safe and dignified return of Syrian families, the legal and controlled temporary stay of an adult member for work, the reduction of pressure on the asylum system and the strengthening of sectors of the Cypriot economy that need labor.
"Those who are not entitled to asylum should leave the Republic of Cyprus immediately. Those who choose to join this Plan can do so with support, with clear procedures and with dignity," he concluded.
CNA
