In addition to claiming your rights as a refugee, or beneficiary of subsidiary protection, you also have several duties to abide by according to the Law of the Republic of Cyprus:
- Refugees must abide by the Constitution, the Laws, and Regulations of the Republic.
- Refugees must not engage in activities which may endanger the security of the Republic or disrupt public order or harm public interest.
- Refugees shall not engage in activities which are contrary to the principles of the United Nations and international law.
- Refugees must refrain from engaging in any illegal activities. Examples of illegal practices include:
– Irregular work
– Child marriage
– Forced marriage
– Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
– Domestic violence
– Sexual violence
– Possession of weapons
– Polygamy
– Human trafficking
– Drug trafficking
– Issuing and use of forged documents (travel documents, identification documents etc.)
Note: Buying and travelling on false or forged documents/passport is a criminal offence for which you may be arrested and sentenced to prison.
- Refugees are responsible for adhering to health regulations, including vaccination requirements and seeking medical care when necessary.
- As a refugee, you are responsible for ensuring to the best of your ability that your children attend school regularly and participate in their educational development. Attendance in the public school sytem is free for all classes and compulsory from age 5 until the age of 15; upon completion of secondary school at age 18, a graduation diploma is awarded.
- When employed, you must comply with the labour law and pay taxes as required.
- It is your responsibility to ensure that your residence permit is up to date, and you apply for renewal at the Migration Department in a timely manner.
- You must register the birth of a new child with the District Office and the Migration Department.
- If you intend to travel for more than 90 consecutive days, you must inform the Migration Department.
UNHCR encourages refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection to actively work towards integrating into the Cypriot society by joining language courses and participating in integration programs when available. For more information, please visit our section on Integration support.