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A backlog of 12,000 citizenship applications has raised serious concerns about the efficiency of Cyprus’ immigration and residence permit processing system. According to a new audit report presented to the Parliamentary Audit Committee on Thursday, the Department of Population and Immigration Registry has been struggling to manage an increasing workload, compounded by a shortage of staff and rising migrant flows.
The report, which examines the department’s operations for 2022, highlights that applications for both citizenship and residence permits have faced significant delays, with some applicants waiting up to three years for their citizenship requests to be processed.
Citizenship applications in limbo
By November 2023, there were still 12,000 pending citizenship applications, with the average wait time for those applying based on years of residence reaching three years, while those applying through marriage had to wait up to two years.
Despite efforts to manage the surge, the report highlights insufficient checks on the residency requirements for those seeking citizenship. A law passed in Parliament allowed applicants to be absent for up to 90 days in the last year before applying, but the Auditor General raised concerns that not enough was being done to verify whether these criteria were being met.
A growing pile of applications for residence permits
Delays were also found in the granting of permanent residence permits for non-working foreigners with foreign income. Due to a pending change in the law, 3,000 applications have been accumulated, leaving many in a state of uncertainty.
Furthermore, there were issues in processing temporary residence permits for students, with missing documents and delays in some cases. Alarmingly, it was found that 12% of students had not left Cyprus by the time their residence permits expired, while 16% left later than the allowed date.
Mistakes and gaps in the system
One of the most concerning findings was the case of a Turkish Cypriot identity card being issued five times with photos of five different individuals. This highlights serious concerns about the accuracy and integrity of the process at the Population and Immigration Registry.
The Audit Office has promised to release a broader report on migration next Tuesday, but these findings already underscore the urgent need for reforms and better management within the department.
Efforts to address the backlog
In response to the audit’s findings, Natasha Economou, a representative from the Ministry of the Interior, noted that steps are already being taken to address staffing shortages. Five additional positions have been approved on fixed-term contracts, funded by European Union resources, to help process applications more efficiently.
Economou also mentioned that the number of citizenship applications has decreased since the introduction of stricter criteria, but individual citizenship grants for humanitarian reasons continue to be granted by the Minister of the Interior.
Streamlining the process
Neophytos Papadopoulos, Director General of the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection, acknowledged that many of the issues identified in the report were already on their radar. A proposal is being reviewed by the European Commission to simplify the procedures of both the Migration Department and the Asylum Service, with a contractor expected to implement the changes within the next two years.
Legal loopholes and asylum issues
Lawmakers also raised concerns about legal loopholes related to citizenship. AKEL MP Irini Charalambidou highlighted a situation where a child born in Cyprus to a Turkish Cypriot and Turkish parent is unable to obtain a Cypriot passport or identity card due to existing laws. However, if the same child were born in Turkey, they would be eligible for these documents.
PPP MP Alekos Tryfonides also pointed out that asylum applications from students who overstay their visas are now processed much quicker, with decisions made in one month and appeals reviewed within 15 days.
