The Republic of Cyprus is currently in a complicated situation regarding its migration policy. On one hand, it is celebrating a major drop in the number of irregular migrants arriving. On the other hand, the European Commission has officially recognized it as a frontline state that needs European solidarity. This dual reality is happening at the same time as the country makes symbolic domestic changes, such as removing separate passport control counters for Turkish Cypriots at border crossings. Together, these events show a country dealing with both the practical and political sides of migration and border control.
According to official data for 2025, the number of irregular migrant arrivals has fallen dramatically to just 2,281 people. This is a huge 87 percent decrease compared to the peak of 17,286 people in 2022. Most of these individuals, 1,531, crossed the buffer zone by land, a common route from Turkey, while 750 arrived by sea. At the same time, the government has greatly increased the number of people being sent back to their home countries, with 10,628 individuals repatriated in the first ten months of this year. Officials present these numbers as proof of their effective and strict approach.
Despite these improvements, the European Commission believes Cyprus still faces a disproportionate number of arrivals. For this reason, it has made the country automatically eligible for a new EU Solidarity Pool. This system, which should start in mid-2026, is designed to help frontline states by relocating some asylum seekers to other EU nations and by providing significant financial support.
Cyprus's firm stance is also clear in its asylum process. The country has the lowest rate of granting protection in its region, rejecting 69.8 percent of first-time applications. Only 30.2 percent of applicants receive any form of protection, with a small 10.5 percent getting full refugee status.
In a separate but important move, Cypriot police have recently ended the long-standing practice of having special passport control counters only for Turkish Cypriots at official crossing points. All travelers now use the same counters. Authorities said the old system was a product of its time and that a review was necessary to improve the quality of document checks. This change represents a small but meaningful step in the daily interactions between the two communities on the island.