Appeals court overturns ruling of sham marriage between Cypriot woman and Nigerian national

The Administrative Court of Appeal in Cyprus has annulled a decision by the Civil Registry and Migration Department that had previously classified the marriage of a Cypriot woman to a Nigerian national as a marriage of convenience. The couple, who married in September 2019, had kept their union secret from the bride's parents due to their opposition to the groom's background. In November 2022, authorities determined the marriage was sham based on alleged discrepancies in the couple's statements and lack of cohabitation.

In its October 26, 2026, ruling, the Court of Appeal criticized the authorities for failing to investigate key evidence. The court noted that testimonies from 2021 showed no contradictions between the spouses and that an investigation by the Alien and Immigration Service had actually confirmed that the couple was residing together. Furthermore, the court found that the parents' interference, which included a letter to the Minister of Interior demanding the groom's deportation, inadvertently supported the couple's claim that they kept the marriage private to avoid familial conflict, rather than to facilitate immigration status.

While the court's decision clears the couple of the sham marriage accusation, the legal process regarding the individual's residency status remains a subject of ongoing administrative scrutiny following this judicial intervention.