Cypriot authorities have begun taking new steps regarding the asylum cases of Syrians in the country, under a policy they say reflects changes in Syria, amid expectations that deportations could begin for some Syrians whose applications for international protection were rejected.
The Cypriot news website Philenews reported on Monday, July 13, that Cyprus’s Asylum Service had revoked refugee status from 95 people, including 80 Syrian citizens, after reviewing their legal situations. The move is part of a government policy to reassess protection granted in the past.
The website added that Cypriot authorities had rejected more than 2,000 asylum applications submitted by Syrians. The relevant authorities reportedly believe that some applicants no longer meet the requirements for international protection following recent changes in Syria.
According to available sources, the Cypriot Asylum Service has not issued a detailed statement specifying the number of people whose refugee status was revoked. However, local media reported the figures through sources connected to migration affairs, as authorities move to tighten procedures for reviewing new applications and reassessing existing cases.
The Cyprus Mail reported that the withdrawal of refugee status from 80 Syrians was part of measures that authorities said targeted people involved in criminal offenses, with procedures underway to return them from the country. No official announcement on the matter has yet been issued.
Court Rulings Pave the Way for Returns
These measures coincided with court rulings in Cyprus that were considered a step toward enabling the return of Syrians whose asylum applications had been rejected.
Knews reported that the Administrative Court for International Protection rejected appeals filed by several Syrian asylum seekers against decisions denying their applications. This allowed authorities to proceed with return or deportation procedures against people who lack legal status in the country.
According to the newspaper, the court examined several cases involving Syrians whose applications had been rejected by the Asylum Service. It concluded that the applicants had not demonstrated a personal risk that would justify granting them protection under asylum law and the Geneva Convention relating to the status of refugees.
The newspaper said Cypriot authorities based their assessments on developments in Syria, including security and political conditions, and concluded that some cases no longer met the requirements for international protection.
The Cyprus Mail also reported that the court rulings upheld the Asylum Service’s decisions and the related return orders. This allowed Cyprus’s Migration Ministry to carry out removal procedures against Syrians whose applications had been definitively rejected and who no longer possessed legal residency documents.
Broad Review of Syrian Asylum Cases
The developments are part of a broader review of Cyprus’s policy toward Syrian asylum seekers. Nicosia had previously suspended the processing of some Syrian asylum applications before resuming reviews based on individual assessments.
According to data reported by Cypriot media, authorities reassessed Syrian cases after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, arguing that the changed conditions in Syria required a renewed evaluation of the need for protection in some cases.
Cyprus has recorded an increase in asylum applications in recent years, particularly from Syrians, because of its geographical location near the eastern Mediterranean. The island is one of the maritime entry points into the European Union.
Reuters previously quoted Cyprus’s migration minister as saying that hundreds of Syrians had withdrawn their asylum applications following political developments in Syria, and that some had chosen to return voluntarily.
Financial Incentives for Voluntary Return
As part of efforts to reorganize its handling of Syrian asylum cases, Cyprus has also introduced measures encouraging the voluntary return of Syrians who hold refugee status or subsidiary protection by offering financial incentives to those willing to return to Syria.
According to statements by Cypriot officials, the government program targets around 20,000 Syrians living on the island, with a particular focus on families.
The program also allows one adult member of each family to remain in Cyprus until August 2028 under a special residence permit, with an unrestricted right to work.
Cyprus’s deputy interior minister responsible for migration affairs, Nicholas Ioannides, said each adult who chooses to return will receive 2,000 euros. Families will receive 1,500 euros for each child, while unmarried Syrians will receive 1,500 euros.
Ioannides said the program aims to support returnees as they begin a new life after going back to Syria. It is also intended to help address labor shortages affecting several economic sectors in Cyprus, particularly tourism.
The Cypriot government links these measures to the political changes in Syria following the fall of the former regime in December 2024. It argues that these developments require European Union countries to reassess the circumstances of some Syrians who were granted international protection.
Agreement to Return Syrians From Cyprus
As part of tighter migration controls, Cyprus announced in May 2025 that it had reached an agreement with the Syrian government to return Syrian citizens intercepted by Cypriot authorities at sea while attempting to reach the island aboard migrant boats.
Cyprus’s deputy migration minister, Nicholas Ioannides, said at the time that the agreement aimed to regulate procedures for handling irregular arrivals, particularly Syrians. For years, Syrian protection applications had been assessed in the context of war and instability in Syria.
Debate Over Returns to Syria
The return of Syrians from European and neighboring countries has generated broad debate among governments and human rights organizations. Some authorities argue that political and security changes in Syria allow refugee cases to be reviewed, while rights groups warn that conditions remain too unstable to guarantee a safe return for all refugees.
In Cyprus, authorities say their decisions are based on individual assessments and that returns target people whose applications no longer meet international protection standards. Critics of deportation policies argue that assessments of conditions in Syria must consider regional differences and each person’s individual circumstances.
Cyprus has adopted one of the European Union’s strictest migration policies in recent years. It has sought to reduce arrivals by sea, tighten procedures for examining asylum applications, and increase returns of people who do not have the right to remain.
The latest revocations of refugee status and the rejection of thousands of Syrian applications may mark a new phase in Cyprus’s handling of Syrian refugees, particularly as authorities approach the first forced returns reported by local media.
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