Minors

Being underage and unaccompanied.

Last update : June 2023

Unaccompanied minors are not systematically identified in the Republic of Cyprus.

If you are taken by the police, you should tell them about your age. You cannot be detained as a minor.

If you have a family member in another member state, you should inform the Police or Social Welfare Service so that you can join your family.

Since 2014 a medical age assessment was implemented which a small number of children have undergone so far and which consists of an x-ray, as well as a tooth and body examination. The findings of these medical tests have so far in almost all cases stated that the tested person is not under the age of 18 and therefore no unaccompanied minor.
If you are a minor, the Social Welfare Service is responsible for the legal representation concerning your asylum case.
Furthermore, officers of the Social Welfare Service should provide you with information about asylum procedures and follow ups on your case. However, minors reported that they have not been prepared before going to the interview. The Social Welfare Service is also responsible for guardianship, which means providing you with accommodation, access to school and handing out the medical to access health care. There are 3 accommodations for minors run by state authorities as well as one accommodation from the organization Hope for Children which can host 24 male minors. It may happen that there is no space in either of these accommodations and you can be put in a facility with Cypriot children or with a foster family.

If you are under 16, you have to go to school.