Cyprus’ Interior and Justice ministries on Thursday revealed that 195 third-country nationals have been deported and 729 more have accepted assisted-return packages since 1 March, underscoring an aggressive new strategy to thin the backlog of asylum seekers on the island. The joint statement credited closer coordination between police, immigration officers and Frontex liaison teams stationed at Larnaca airport. The removals coincide with a sharp drop in irregular sea arrivals—just 2,400 so far in 2025-26 compared with 6,109 in 2024 and nearly 11,000 in 2023. Officials attribute the fall to stepped-up patrols along the Green Line and fast-track processing centres that sort manifestly unfounded claims within ten days, a procedure modelled on Italy’s ‘hot-spot’ approach.
![Cyprus reports 195 deportations and 729 voluntary returns in six-week push to curb irregular migration]()
For travellers who need to secure the correct paperwork before entering Cyprus legally, VisaHQ can be an invaluable ally. Through its dedicated page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/), the platform walks applicants—whether tourists, foreign employees or corporate HR teams—through visa requirements, document preparation and submission timelines, reducing the risk of delays or refusals that have become more consequential under the island’s tougher stance.
Rights groups have cautiously welcomed the increase in voluntary departures, which qualify returnees for €1,000 cash grants and a free airline ticket, but they warn that detention capacity at Menoyia remains stretched, raising questions about conditions for those who refuse to leave. The Interior Ministry insists all removals comply with EU Returns Directive safeguards. For employers the message is mixed. Construction and agriculture firms reliant on undocumented labour fear staff shortages, while multinationals see the crackdown as a sign that Cyprus wants to shed its image as an easy back door into the EU. Immigration lawyers advise corporations to audit workforce documentation promptly; overstayers face an almost certain exit order under the new policy.
For travellers who need to secure the correct paperwork before entering Cyprus legally, VisaHQ can be an invaluable ally. Through its dedicated page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/), the platform walks applicants—whether tourists, foreign employees or corporate HR teams—through visa requirements, document preparation and submission timelines, reducing the risk of delays or refusals that have become more consequential under the island’s tougher stance.
Rights groups have cautiously welcomed the increase in voluntary departures, which qualify returnees for €1,000 cash grants and a free airline ticket, but they warn that detention capacity at Menoyia remains stretched, raising questions about conditions for those who refuse to leave. The Interior Ministry insists all removals comply with EU Returns Directive safeguards. For employers the message is mixed. Construction and agriculture firms reliant on undocumented labour fear staff shortages, while multinationals see the crackdown as a sign that Cyprus wants to shed its image as an easy back door into the EU. Immigration lawyers advise corporations to audit workforce documentation promptly; overstayers face an almost certain exit order under the new policy.
