In 2025, Cyprus processed 3,193 refugee-related cases, including appeals as well as detention and deportation cases. This represents a 48% decrease compared to 2024 and a 59% drop compared to 2023.
Of these, 2,880 cases (90.2%) were filed by citizens of countries classified as unsafe, 310 cases (9.71%) by citizens of safe countries, and 3 cases by stateless individuals. Applications from citizens of unsafe countries increased by 68% compared to 2023 and by 22% compared to 2024, while applications from citizens of safe countries decreased by 67% and 22%, respectively. The highest number of cases from unsafe countries came from citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo (1,153), Syria (374), Cameroon (261), and Nigeria (199). Among safe countries, the most applications came from India (28), Egypt (19), and Bangladesh (12).
Court case outcomes
In total, 3,130 appeals were reviewed in 2025, of which only 68 were successful. Refugee status was granted to 19 individuals, 6 received subsidiary protection, 33 decisions were annulled, 8 detention orders were canceled, and in 2 cases alternative measures to detention were applied. As of January 1, 2026, there were 6,390 pending cases in the courts, compared to 6,590 at the beginning of 2025.
Administrative Court and claims against the state
In 2025, 1,308 claims were filed against Cyprus in the Administrative Court, compared to 1,465 in 2024 and 1,879 in 2023. Appeals filed by foreign nationals accounted for 55% of all cases in 2025 and 68% when including detention and deportation cases.
Claims against detention and deportation decisions decreased by 10% compared to 2024 but increased by 14% compared to 2023. A total of 193 decisions were published in cases involving foreign nationals, of which 153 (79%) were in favor of Cyprus and 40 (21%) against.
Appeals at the court level
In 2025, 169 appeals were filed by asylum seekers and foreign nationals, which is 8% more than in 2024 but 20% less than in 2023. Appeals against Administrative Court decisions increased by 29% compared to the previous year but declined by 30% compared to 2023.
A total of 60 decisions were published in 2025, of which 51 concerned the Administrative Court of International Protection and 9 the Administrative Court. Of the 51 cases, 8 appeals were filed by the Attorney General and 43 by asylum seekers. Seven appeals by the Attorney General (88%) were successful, while 41 appeals by asylum seekers (95%) were rejected, with only two upheld.
Of the 9 Administrative Court cases, 6 were filed by the Attorney General and 3 by applicants. Five of the Attorney General’s appeals were successful and one was rejected. Of the three appeals by applicants, two were successful and one was rejected.
Cyprus remains one of the EU countries with a high number of asylum applications per capita. Increased control, faster procedures, and stricter residency rules partly explain the decline in new cases and the low approval rate. The future situation will depend on developments in the Middle East and Africa, as well as EU migration policy.