Eurostat reports September asylum application trends in Cyprus and EU

In September 2026, the number of first-time applications for international protection in Cyprus by third-country nationals reached 210, according to data released by Eurostat on Friday. This figure marks an increase from the 135 applications recorded in August and 145 in July, representing a rise of approximately 56 percent and 45 percent, respectively.

At the European Union level, the total number of first-time asylum applications for July 2026 stood at 34,145. This represents a 39 percent decline compared to the 55,680 applications reported in July 2025 and an 8 percent decrease from the 37,075 applications submitted in June 2026. During that month, Afghan nationals comprised the largest group of asylum seekers in the EU with 3,100 applications, followed by individuals from Sudan, Bangladesh, and Syria.

Among EU member states, France received the highest number of first-time applications in July with 9,000, followed by Italy, Greece, Spain, and Germany. Collectively, these five nations accounted for approximately 72 percent of the total EU applications for the period. Additionally, Eurostat noted that subsequent asylum applications across the EU saw a 52 percent year-on-year decrease in July, totaling 5,780.