Syrians in Cyprus Reject Asylum in Large Numbers Following the Fall of the Assad Regime

In the past month, more than 900 Syrians have withdrawn their asylum applications in the Republic of Cyprus.

According to a statement shared on the platform X by Deputy Minister of Migration Nikolas Ioannides, this includes Syrian nationals who have given up their international protection status with the intention of returning to Syria.

It is estimated that around 14,000 Syrian refugees or individuals with subsidiary protection status currently reside in Cyprus.

The mass withdrawal of asylum applications began after the fall of the Assad regime in early December.

Once an individual retracts their asylum application, the documentation is immediately sent to the Civil Registry and Migration Department, where the case is registered under the voluntary return program.

For those without valid travel documents, the authorities will issue the necessary paperwork. The return process involves traveling first to Jordan, as there are no direct flights to Syria, and then crossing the border into Syria by land.

Individuals who voluntarily opt for return are provided with €1,500 in financial aid as part of the assistance program. The government later receives reimbursement for these payments from the European Union.

“The Ministry’s staff is working tirelessly to support all Syrians who wish to return home,” the statement said.

To date, approximately 300 Syrians have already left the island.