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More than 100 asylum applications from Syrian nationals have been rejected in recent weeks after failing to meet criteria set by international and European law, sources at the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection told the Cyprus News Agency on Friday.
According to the same sources, the reviews of Syrian asylum claims resumed under instructions from Deputy Minister of Migration Nikolas Ioannidis, amid recent developments in Syria that have led to a reassessment of the situation there.
The officials also said that voluntary returns of Syrian nationals from Cyprus have continued at a steady pace. These returns are being carried out in coordination with the Deputy Ministry of Migration, the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, and the Cyprus Police.
Cyprus was the first European Union member state to suspend the processing of asylum applications from Syrians in April 2024. In May 2025, it became the first to begin formally rejecting them, the officials noted.
“The government and the Deputy Ministry of Migration continue to enforce a strict migration policy,” the sources said.
