Irregular Arrivals per Year Sea arrivals: Individuals who arrived by sea either into government-controlled areas or into the occupied part of Cyprus and subsequently crossed the Green Line into government-controlled areas. Land arrivals: Individuals who arrived by air...
Migration Data
Asylum Applications
New Asylum Applications per Year - UNHCR Note: The data below refer to individuals. Nationalities of Asylum Applicants - Eurostat The data below refer to first-time and subsequent asylum applications. Asylum Applicants by Type - Eurostat The graph below presents...
Decisions on Asylum Applications
First-instance Decisions on Asylum Applications - Eurostat Decisions made in response to asylum applications at the first-instance level of the asylum procedure. The first-instance decisions are issued by the Asylum Service of the DMMIP. Final Decisions on Asylum...
Beneficiaries of Protection
Beneficiaries of International Protection Beneficiaries of international protection are people who have been formally granted either refugee status or subsidiary protection because they face a real risk of persecution, serious harm, or human rights violations in their...
Accompanied, Unaccompanied & Separated Minors
Irregular Arrivals of Minors Irregular Arrivals of Minors by Age Group Asylum Applications of Unaccompanied Minors - Eurostat Asylum applications of unaccompanied minors are depicted below as a percentage of all asylum applications, incl. first and subsequent...
Residence Permits
Residence Permits by Category - Eurostat The data pertain to all valid permits issued to third-country nationals on December 31 of each year. Residence Permits by Category - DMMIP This section outlines the types of permits issued by the Migration Department of the...
Naturalisation
Acquisition of Citizenship per Year- Eurostat Note: The EU27 data reflect the European Union’s 27 member states post-Brexit. United Kingdom (UK) figures are reported under the non-EU27 category. Acquisition of Citizenship by Nationality - Eurostat Cypriot law permits...
Returns
Deportation Orders Data pertains to the number of third country citizens who are subjected to an administrative or judicial determination declaring their stay unauthorised and mandating their departure from the Member State's territory. Orders & Returns Following...
Employment
Insured Employees Distribution by Community The data illustrated below cover insured employees in the public, semi-public and private sector in Cyprus. Employment by Sector - Sample Data The data presented in this graph are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS)...
Migration Data
Arrivals
Irregular Arrivals per Year Sea arrivals: Individuals who arrived by sea either into government-controlled areas or into the occupied part of Cyprus and subsequently crossed the Green Line into government-controlled areas. Land arrivals: Individuals who arrived by air...
Asylum Applications
New Asylum Applications per Year - UNHCR Note: The data below refer to individuals. Nationalities of Asylum Applicants - Eurostat The data below refer to first-time and subsequent asylum applications. Asylum Applicants by Type - Eurostat The graph below presents...
Decisions on Asylum Applications
First-instance Decisions on Asylum Applications - Eurostat Decisions made in response to asylum applications at the first-instance level of the asylum procedure. The first-instance decisions are issued by the Asylum Service of the DMMIP. Final Decisions on Asylum...
Beneficiaries of Protection
Beneficiaries of International Protection Beneficiaries of international protection are people who have been formally granted either refugee status or subsidiary protection because they face a real risk of persecution, serious harm, or human rights violations in their...
Accompanied, Unaccompanied & Separated Minors
Irregular Arrivals of Minors Irregular Arrivals of Minors by Age Group Asylum Applications of Unaccompanied Minors - Eurostat Asylum applications of unaccompanied minors are depicted below as a percentage of all asylum applications, incl. first and subsequent...
Residence Permits
Residence Permits by Category - Eurostat The data pertain to all valid permits issued to third-country nationals on December 31 of each year. Residence Permits by Category - DMMIP This section outlines the types of permits issued by the Migration Department of the...
Naturalisation
Acquisition of Citizenship per Year- Eurostat Note: The EU27 data reflect the European Union’s 27 member states post-Brexit. United Kingdom (UK) figures are reported under the non-EU27 category. Acquisition of Citizenship by Nationality - Eurostat Cypriot law permits...
Returns
Deportation Orders Data pertains to the number of third country citizens who are subjected to an administrative or judicial determination declaring their stay unauthorised and mandating their departure from the Member State's territory. Orders & Returns Following...
Employment
Insured Employees Distribution by Community The data illustrated below cover insured employees in the public, semi-public and private sector in Cyprus. Employment by Sector - Sample Data The data presented in this graph are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS)...
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Introduction
Cyprus is an island in the Eastern Mediterranean, located at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and Asia. On August 16, 1960, the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) was established, ending British colonial rule that had lasted since 1878. Greece, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom (UK) assumed guarantor roles to protect the island’s independence and territorial integrity.
Soon after independence, violence erupted between the Turkish Cypriot (TC) and Greek Cypriot (GC) communities. As a result, in March 1964, a buffer zone was established in Nicosia to facilitate a ceasefire. Known as the “Green Line,” it marked the deployment of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
The Green Line expanded across the island in summer 1974, following Türkiye’s invasion against the Republic of Cyprus. To date Türkiye occupies approximately 37% of the island’s northern territory and the Green Line remains a demilitarised UN-administered zone dividing the island. The southern part is governed by the Republic of Cyprus. The northern part is administered by the self-declared and internationally non-recognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Under international law, the northern part of the island remains under Turkish occupation.
Today, the Green Line is a demilitarised zone separating two administrations. The south is governed by the Republic of Cyprus (RoC), an internationally recognised state. The north remains under Turkish occupation and is administered by the self-declared and internationally non-recognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Cyprus has been a member state of the European Union (EU) since 2004 and holds a unique status within the Union. Although the entire island is considered EU territory, EU law is suspended in the non-government controlled areas pending a political settlement. Movement across the divide is governed by the Green Line Regulation. This regulation defines the conditions for the crossing of people, goods, and services. Under EU law, the Green Line is not considered an external border, and therefore, the crossing of persons is not regulated by ordinary migration laws. Cases of asylum seekers are treated on an ad hoc basis following coordination between the Republic of Cyprus authorities, UNFICYP and UNHCR Cyprus.
The ongoing political division, combined with Cyprus’ geographic location and EU membership, shapes migration governance, migration flows patterns, and demographic trends on the island.