The issuance of a refugee identity card is governed by the Civil Registry Law.
Issuance and replacement of a refugee identity card, as well as the issuance of a displaced family certificate, are free of charge.
Issuance / Replacement of refugee identity card
The refugee identity card is issued to displaced persons by the District Administrations and the Citizen Service Centers.
Applications for the issuance of a refugee identity card for the first time are also received at the Civil Registry and Migration Department in addition to the above service points.
Displaced persons are considered:
- Those persons who before and until the invasion had their habitual residence in the areas in which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus currently does not exercise effective control.
- The persons who before and until the invasion had their permanent residence in the areas in which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus currently does exercise effective control, due to their profession, but their house and/or generally their property was in the areas in which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus currently does not exercise effective control.
- Persons who before and until the invasion had their temporary residence abroad, but their residence and immovable property were in the areas in which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus currently does not exercise effective control, while residing in Cyprus and as long as they were not immigrants.
Required documents:
In the case of first-time refugee identity card (NEW) applications, the applicant must submit the following:
- Completed relevant application form.
- Curriculum vitae (describing the following for which documentation must be provided).
- Birth certificate
- Place of residence.
- School Leaving Certificate.
- Military rank (where applicable).
- Marriage/Engagement Certificate/Newspaper Publication for promise of marriage (if the marriage took place before 1974).
- Refugee IDs of parents (where applicable).
- Numbers of parents' identity cards.
- Degree in case the applicant was outside Cyprus for studies.
- EAC account for the period before and until the invasion of the occupied residence (from EAC Head Offices).
- Any evidence considered relevant to the application.
For the issuance/replacement of a Refugee Identity Card, which bears a control stamp dated 1.1.1983 and after, the following are required:
- Completing the relevant application form.
- The identity card numbers of all family members.
- Children's Birth Certificates.
When the displaced person, who already holds a refugee identity card, has additional children after the issuance of his refugee identity card, he can apply to have the children's names added to the refugee identity card.
Issuance of displaced family certificate
The Displaced Family Certificate is issued to the holder of a valid refugee identity card, to confirm the composition and details of his family members.