CYPRUS FACT SHEET
June 2023

Asylum Applications in Cyprus

From January to May 2023 some
4,828 persons applied for asylumin the Republic of Cyprus (RoC).

2019 - May 2023
2500

There are some 30,357 persons’applications pending decision atthe Asylum Service as at end May
2023. Another 4,968 persons’appeals are pending at theInternational Protection
Administrative Court (IPAC) as atend March 2023.

2000
1500

21,5651000

13,235

4,828

12,724500

There are some 16,775 persons
currently registered asinternational protection
beneficiaries in the RoC, of whom
2,728 have been granted refugee
status, and 14,047 are subsidiary
protection beneficiaries.

0Up until 4th June 2023, some
18,551 refugees from Ukraine
reside in the RoC under temporary
protection.

1,600

7,094
JanFeb Mar2019

AprMay2020

JunJul2021

Aug

Sep Oct
2022

Nov

Dec
2023

Top Countries of Origin of Asylum-seekers in Cyprus
9,477(data available until May 2023)

10,000
9,000

1,400

8,000

1,200

7,000

1,000

Some 110 refugees are under
UNHCR’s mandate in the northernpart of Cyprus.

6,000

800

4,369

600

5,000

3,788

1,664

2,948

4,0003,000400

In 2022 some 925
unaccompanied and separated
children (UASC) applied for
asylum in the RoC, while throughMay 2023, some 160 UASC
applied for asylum.

1,521

200

1,466-

276605Syrian Arab Dem. Rep. ofRepublic the Congo

309

Nigeria

518

1,000

155

Cameroon Afghanistan

New applications during 2023

2,000-

Somalia

Pending applications from 2022

Top Ten Countries of Origin of Beneficiaries of International Protection in Cyprus
12,000

180

167

160
10,000
140
8,000

120
100

6,000

60
4,000

2,000

10,902

2825

2,237

1,013

State ofPalestine

Iraq-Syrian Arab
Republic

80555060

2320

1551684422266

188

61

Iran (IslamicRepublic of)Somalia

TürkiyeCameroon

Yemen

Number of International Protection Beneficiaries at year-end 2022

2643

Democratic
Afghanistan
Republic of theCongo
Number of persons granted International Protection in 2022

www.unhcr.org/cy | Tel: 22 359057 | Facebook & Twitter @UNHCRCyprus | cypni@unhcr.org

4020-FACT SHEET > CYPRUS JUNE 2023

Key Priorities

Working with Partners■ Protection monitoring: UNHCR promotes refugee andasylum-seekers’ rights, particularly access to asylum
procedures, reception conditions and detention.

■ The Government of the Republic of Cyprus isUNHCR’s key partner in ensuring the protection ofrefugees and asylum-seekers, in accordance with EUand International standards. UNHCR works withParliamentary committees; the Offices of theOmbudsman and the Child Commissioner; diplomatic
missions and the media, among others.

■ Promoting legislative amendments: UNHCR
provides recommendations on relevant draft laws toensure compliance with international and EU standards.
■ Reinforcing asylum examination procedures:
Through legal recommendations, UNHCR supports theauthorities in further strengthening their refugee statusdetermination procedures to ensure sound decisionmaking.
■ UASC Monitoring: UNHCR advocates, and works withnational authorities, for timely and accurate
identification of UASC to secure access to national childprotection systems and procedures including
documentation and family reunification.

■ Capacity building: UNHCR provides training togovernment and civil society stakeholders on key
protection issues including refugee rights, reception
conditions and child protection.
■ Local Integration: UNHCR makes recommendations
for social, economic, and cultural integration ofrefugees, and promotes, among others, naturalisation,long-term residency, and family reunification.

■ Civil Society Engagement is fundamental to UNHCR’s
work in supporting refugee and asylum-seeking
communities in Cyprus. UNHCR is partnered with theCyprus Refugee Council and the Refugee Rights
Association.

UNHCR Presence in Cyprus
1 Office in Nicosia; 1 International Representative; 16 Staff.

Data
Cyprus Statistics | https://bit.ly/3o4gYlZ
Operational Portal | Mediterranean Situation
https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/mediterranean
Operational Portal | Ukraine Situation
https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine■ Statelessness: UNHCR promotes accession to theStatelessness Conventions, to which Cyprus has notacceded.
■ Raising public awareness: UNHCR engages in public
information and media relations; education activities;
World Refugee Day and other events; campaigns andconstituency-building.
© UNHCR/Sebastian Rich

■ Communication with Communities: UNHCR engages
in communication with refugee communities through theRefugee Outreach Volunteers Programme.

Wasif is a stateless Palestinian who fled from Iraq. A mathematician,academic and father, he hopes to attain Cypriot nationality to settlea safer future for his family.

UNHCR Historically in Cyprus■ UNHCR first arrived in Cyprus in 1974 to coordinate the international
humanitarian aid to displaced persons in both communities.
■ By 1998 the work of relief assistance for internally displaced Cypriots washanded to other UN development agencies.
■ With the increase of refugee arrivals in 1998, UNHCR assumed
responsibility for registration and processing asylum applications.
■ In 2000 the Government of the Republic of Cyprus adopted its firstnational refugee legislation and in 2002 took over from UNHCR theresponsibility for asylum adjudication.