The Asylum Service has revoked asylum from 95 people over the past period, 80 of them Syrian nationals, on the instructions of Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum Dr Nicholas A. Ioannides. Authorities have also rejected more than 2,000 asylum applications from Syrians.
The first forced returns to Syria are expected soon, philenews has learned, as a number of Syrians no longer qualify to remain in Cyprus following the change of regime in their country.
Ioannides has also instructed authorities to revoke the residence permits of Indian citizens who took part in a clash in Limassol in May. International protection will also be revoked for Syrians involved in a recent disturbance in Xylophagou.
The Deputy Ministry of Migration is separately promoting a repatriation programme, backed by EU funding, offering financial incentives to Syrian families. Under the scheme, one family member may continue living and working in the Republic for a period before also being repatriated.
Addressing the House of Representatives last week, Ioannides said arrivals of asylum seekers fell by 92% in the first half of 2026 compared with 2022. He said approximately 35,000 non-EU nationals have left Cyprus since the current government took office.
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