CyprusAsylum / refuge

International protection (asylum) in Cyprus

International protection in the Republic of Cyprus is a status the state grants to foreign nationals from outside the EU and to stateless people who cannot or are afraid to return home because of persecution or the threat of serious harm. The application is considered by the Asylum Service of the Ministry of the Interior of Cyprus, and a refusal can be appealed to a specialised administrative court.

Visa term

Applicant status until a decision; if recognised — long-term status

Threshold

No special requirements; basic material assistance, accommodation in centres

Processing time

From a few months to a few years

Work

Access to the labour market after ~6–9 months, limited sectors

Source: gov.cy — Asylum Service, Cyprus Ministry of Interior, information leaflet for applicants for international protection

Who can obtain it

Refugee status

A well-founded fear of persecution on grounds of race, religion or nationality
Persecution for political opinion
Persecution because of membership of a particular social group, including on grounds of gender

Subsidiary protection

A threat of torture or inhuman or degrading treatment
A threat of the death penalty or execution
Serious and systematic violations of human rights in the home country
A threat to life from indiscriminate violence in an armed conflict

Special categories of applicant

Unaccompanied minors — represented by the Social Welfare Services
Vulnerable people: pregnant women, the elderly, people with disabilities, victims of torture or sexual violence, single parents with children
People in prison or in police custody are also entitled to apply

What it costs

Submission and consideration of the international protection application	0 EUR
Court fee for lodging an appeal with the International Protection Administrative Court (IPAC)	+96 EUR
Court bailiff's services for serving the appeal on the Asylum Service	+16.50 EUR

Documents to gather

There is no official fixed list of documents — an application is accepted even if the applicant has no identity document at all. But whatever they do have must be shown to the officer at registration.

Passport, ID card or any document confirming identity (the application will still be accepted if there is none)
If there is no passport — any other document: birth certificate, driving licence, voter card
A written statement about yourself, your family, your travel route and the reasons for leaving the country of origin — completed with an officer when the application is submitted
A separate form for the Dublin procedure — with details of any visas, residence permits or protection applications previously obtained in other EU countries
Three passport-size photographs — for the Alien Registration Certificate
A copy of the tenancy agreement — if the applicant rents accommodation independently and wishes to receive partial rent compensation

How the process runs

The procedure consists of several consecutive stages. Most of the timeframes are not fixed strictly by law and depend on the Asylum Service's workload.

1
Statement of intention
on the day of arrival or of applying
The foreign national states their wish to apply for international protection — at the Asylum Service, the Civil Registry and Migration Department, at any lawful point of entry (Larnaca and Paphos airports, sea ports) or at the aliens unit for their district. Those entering illegally are directed to the Pournara First Reception Centre.
2
Official registration of the application
as a rule on the same day; for lawful entry — no later than 6 working days after the statement of intention
The applicant attends in person at the aliens unit for their district of residence together with accompanying family members, completes the form and the Dublin form, and answers questions about identity, route and the reasons for applying. From the age of 14, fingerprints are taken for the Eurodac database.
3
Confirmation letter, medical examination and Alien Registration Certificate
immediately after registration
The police issue a Confirmation Letter — it confirms lawful stay in Cyprus while the case is being considered. The applicant then has a free medical examination at the district hospital and receives an Alien Registration Certificate at the immigration office.
4
Personal interview at the Asylum Service
the date is set by the Asylum Service by separate letter or by telephone
An Asylum Service officer questions the applicant in detail about the reasons for applying. The applicant may bring a lawyer and ask for a free interpreter, including one of the same sex as themselves. If necessary the officer may schedule a further interview.
5
Decision on the application
no timeframe set by law
If the decision is positive, the applicant receives refugee status with a residence permit for 3 years, or subsidiary protection status with a residence permit for 1 year — both renewable. If refused, the Asylum Service sends a letter setting out the reasons and the time limits for appeal.
6
Appealing a refusal to the International Protection Administrative Court (IPAC)
30 days from receipt of the refusal, and 15 days for applicants from the list of safe countries of origin
The appeal is lodged in person at the court registry in Nicosia in Greek. If the court reserves its judgment, it must deliver it no later than 6 months afterwards. An IPAC refusal can be appealed to the Supreme Court of Cyprus within 14 days.

Who you can bring with you

The reunification rules differ for those still applying and those who already hold status.

Spouse and minor children accompanying the applicant

are included in the applicant's application and covered by the same decision on the case; no separate application is required

Adult dependants, for example elderly parents

apply in their own right or consent to another adult family member acting on their behalf

Unaccompanied minors

are represented, and their guardianship exercised, by the Social Welfare Services throughout the procedure; where age is in doubt a medical examination is carried out with the consent of the child and the guardian

Spouse and minor children of a recognised refugee who remain abroad

are entitled to reunification on the refugee's application; the request is considered by the Civil Registry and Migration Department

First-degree relatives of an unaccompanied minor recognised as a refugee

may also join them in Cyprus by decision of the same department

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Actual residence

A refugee's residence permit (for 3 years) and a subsidiary protection residence permit (for 1 year) are renewed at the Civil Registry and Migration Department for the same period for as long as the grounds for the status remain. Travelling to the country of origin while protection is in force may be grounds for review and withdrawal of the status.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	International protection (asylum)	Residence permit for the financially independent	Permanent residence by investment
Visa term	Applicant status until a decision; if recognised — long-term status	The Pink Slip is usually issued for 1 year (sometimes 1–2), renewed annually	Permanent residence with no annual renewal; card replaced every 10 years
Grounds	Persecution	No right to work	Property from €300,000
Work	Access to the labour market after ~6–9 months, limited sectors	Employment in Cyprus is not allowed; passive income only	Passive income; employment is not desirable, business/dividends are allowed
Residence	Actual residence	Do not stay away for more than about 90 consecutive days or six months	Must not be absent for more than 2 consecutive years

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

EU long-term residence after ~5 years

Route to citizenship

Citizenship in theory after ~7 years, strictly applied

Frequently asked questions about International protection (asylum)

Do you need a lawyer to apply for international protection?

No. The application can be submitted and completed independently and free of charge. At the same time, at any stage of the procedure the applicant may instruct a lawyer at their own expense or make use of the right to a free interpreter.

When can an applicant lawfully take up work?

One month after submitting the application — but only in certain sectors: agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, manufacturing, waste processing, trade and repair, services, the food industry, restaurants and hotels. Details can be confirmed with the Department of Labour.

How much does it cost to lodge an appeal with IPAC after a refusal?

The court fee for lodging an appeal is 96 euros, paid in stamp duty. In addition you must pay for the court bailiff's services in serving the appeal on the Asylum Service — 16.50 euros; without this the court may dismiss the appeal.

What is the deadline for appealing after a refusal?

Usually within 30 days of receiving the decision. If the application was considered under the accelerated procedure — for example, for nationals of countries Cyprus regards as safe — the period is reduced to 15 days.

Can a recognised refugee bring their family to Cyprus?

Yes. A spouse and unmarried minor children, and in the case of an unaccompanied minor their first-degree relatives, are entitled to join a recognised refugee in Cyprus. The reunification application is considered by the Civil Registry and Migration Department.

When can a beneficiary of international protection apply for Cypriot citizenship?

After at least 7 years of lawful residence in Cyprus, or after 3 years if married to a Cypriot citizen. Applications are considered by the Civil Registry and Migration Department.

Does a beneficiary of subsidiary protection need a work permit?

No. Recognised refugees and people with subsidiary protection status are entitled to work as employees or as self-employed people without a separate work permit — on the same basis as Cypriot citizens.

Other ways to move to Cyprus

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Cyprus.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 18 August 2026.