What to Do When Your Asylum Application is Rejected 

First, ask yourself: Do you want to appeal the decision? 

This is the most important question to consider right now. Appealing means you’re telling the court that the Asylum Service made a mistake and asking for a second chance. If you believe your case wasn’t properly examined, or you have new evidence, you have every right to fight for your protection. 

But appealing takes money and effort, and there are deadlines you must meet. If your appeal is not successful, court fees can be deducted from voluntary return incentives. If you’re unsure, read through the options below to understand what the process involves—and what kind of support is available to help you. 

Don’t Miss the Deadline! 

If you wish to appeal your decision, then before anything else, check your rejection letter for the deadline to appeal. It will be either: 
– within 15 days if your case was under the accelerated procedure, or 
– within 30 days if it was under the regular procedure. 

This deadline is strict. If you decide to appeal, you must act within this time. 

Your Appeal Options 

If you choose to appeal, you’ve got three ways to do it: 
1. Hire a Private Lawyer (if you can afford it) 
2. Apply for Legal Aid (free lawyer, but you need approval) 
3. Appeal by Yourself (totally possible, just follow the steps) 

Option 1: Hiring a Lawyer 

This is the most effective route if you can afford it. A private lawyer will prepare and submit your appeal to the International Protection Administrative Court (IPAC) and guide you through the process.  

You should be mindful not to be taken advantage of, however. Lawyers are people, and some have more integrity than others. It’s always good to consult an NGO with legal expertise, such as Cyprus Refugee Council or KISA on the merits of your case. If these organizations advise you that your case does not have reasonable odds of success, it’s most likely that appealing would simply exhaust your resources without any benefit.  

Option 2: Applying for Legal Aid (Free Lawyer) 

If you can’t afford a lawyer, you can apply for legal aid. It’s free, but you must convince the court that you genuinely need it. Don’t wait for your hearing and a decision on your Legal Aid application. You must still submit your appeal before the deadline by yourself. 

How to Apply: 
1. Go to IPAC (Costi Palama 5, 1096, Nicosia) as soon as possible after getting the rejection. 
2. Ask for a Legal Aid application form in your language. 
3. Fill it out, explaining: 
   – Why your case wasn’t fairly examined, 
   – Any new facts or evidence, 
   – Why you can’t pay for a lawyer. 
4. Submit it—you’ll get a case number and a hearing date. 
5. Attend the hearing! A judge will ask why you applied. An interpreter will be there. 
6. Wait for a decision. 
   – If approved, you get a lawyer. 
   – If rejected, you can still appeal on your own or hire a private lawyer. 

Tip: Some NGOs can help you with the application—ask around! 

Option 3: Appealing by Yourself 

If you can’t afford to hire a lawyer by yourself and applied for legal aid, you still need to submit your appeal before the deadline. This means you have to follow these instructions carefully. 

 
1. Go to IPAC within your deadline. 
2. Fill out the appeal form in Greek (an interpreter will help). 
3. Attach: 
   – Four copies of your rejection letter, 
   – Any new documents supporting your case. 
4. Pay: 
   – €96 for court stamps 
   – €10 for interpreter 
   – €16.50 for service to the Asylum Service 
   – Total: €122.50 
5. Get your case number and hearing date. 
6. Send a copy of your appeal to the Asylum Service within 10 days (ask the interpreter for help). 

What Happens Next? 

– A State Lawyer may object to your appeal. 
– If so, you’ll need to submit your full reasons for appealing (in Greek) within 30 days. 
– You might also be asked for more documents or to attend a Clarifications stage, where both sides speak for 15 minutes. 
– Then you wait for the final decision. 

If your appeal succeeds: Your asylum application will be returned to the asylum service for re-examination. In some cases, the court might directly grant you international protection. 

If your appeal fails: You will be notified that you need to leave the country. If you believe the court was wrong, you can appeal again to the Supreme Court, but you’ll need a lawyer, and the supreme court will only judge whether procedure was followed. It will not judge the merits of your asylum claim.

If you have new evidence that you cannot return to your country (something that you have not informed Asylum Service of before or something that happened after your case was examined), you may submit it with a SUBSEQUENT APPLICATION. Subsequent application needs to be completed and submitted at Asylum Service office, there is no charge for it and you do not need a lawyer. Your subsequent application may be found inadmissible if there is no new evidence or the evidence is weak, or it may be accepted for examination. The examination may take months. 

Keep in mind that once your appeal at the court has been rejected, you lose all your rights as an asylum seeker, incl. the right to residence, even if you have an appeal at the Supreme Court or if you have a pending subsequent application.   

Bonus: Voluntary Return Support 

If you decide not to appeal, you can apply for the voluntary return program. Your return ticket will be paid for, and if eligible, you will be given a cash incentive to help you reestablish yourself back home. Read more about it here. 

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