On this page, you will find:

To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Cyprus LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Cyprus country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Cyprus COI page. 

Refugee protection

Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Cyprus.

The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Cyprus is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.

Cyprus succeeded to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in 1963, and its 1967 Protocol in 1968. Cyprus is not, however, party to either UN Conventions on Statelessness, including the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons or the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Cyprus adopted its first Refugee Law in 2000, and assumed all responsibility for refugee status determination in 2002. Since then, the Asylum Service of the Ministry of Interior is the first instance decision-making body; however, in January 2016, a new Administrative Court began to operate judicially to review asylum decisions. Now, the two administrative bodies work in tandem to review status determination claims and refugee protection. 

Legal aid organisations

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Kisa Migrant and Refugee Centers Address: 2 Aristidou Street, Nicosia 1015 
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 22113, 1517 Nicosia Cyprus
Tel: +357-22-878181 or +357-99-098189
Fax: +357-22-773039
Email: info@kisa.org.cy
Contact Person: Doros Polykarpou (doros.p@kisa.org.cy)

KISA is an NGO with a vision to promote an all-inclusive, multicultural society which is free of racism, xenophobia, and discrimination of all kinds. KISA provides free services including information and advice to victims of gender-based violence, arbitrary arrest and detention, and trafficking and other forms of labour exploitation. KISA also provides strategic litigation and protects the rights of victims in order to engender positive, structural reforms. 

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Address: 5 Promitheos Street, Nicosia
Tel: +357 22 87 38 20
Fax: +357 22 87 38 21
Email: futureworldscenter@gmail.com

Future Worlds Centre aims to explore and utilize the evolution of information and communication technologies to strengthen peace-building processes. The organisation’s Humanitarian Affairs Unit, in particular, implements a UNHCR-funded project that offers free legal aid and social advice to refugees and asylum seekers. The Unit for Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture is further specialized to  provide support and empowerment for survivors of torture and human trafficking through a network of volunteer service providers, medical professionals, and interpreters. 

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Address: Hasmet Gurkan So kak, No 3, Northern Cyprus
Tel: +90 392 22 84 910
Email(s): info@mhdkibris.com, complaints@mhdkibris.com, and rracyprus@gmail.com

In the absence of a domestic asylum regime, the RRA provides free legal support to asylum seekers and refugees entering Northern Cyprus. The RRA monitors arrivals and identifies persons of concern, as well as those at risk of refoulement. The RRA provides legal representation and advocacy during asylum procedures, including UNHCR refugee status determination processes. 

Organisations providing other support to refugees

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Address: 32 Mehmet Akif Avenue, Köşklüçiftlik, Nicosia
Tel: +90 392 228 9372
Email: cmirs@gmail.com

CMIRS aims to, very broadly, contribute to and inform public debate on migration, identity, and human rights issues. They do so through advocacy and research activism, improving communication between a network of local and national actors, and strengthening the role of civil society in decision-making processes.

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Email(s): contact@w2eu.info or w2eu_info@yahoo.com

W2eu.info, or, Welcome to Europe, is an online resource that provides a breadth of information for refugees arriving in Europe. Their website, translated into English, French, Arabic and Farsi, provides detailed contact information, legal protections, and other relevant country-specific information. 

Cyprus LGBTQI+ Resources

Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Cyprus.

Cyprus COI

Find Cyprus Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents. 

We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.

Last updated May 2023