Cyprus holds the second highest ratio in the European Union for issuing first residence permits to non-EU citizens under the age of 18, relative to its own child population, according to Eurostat.
Photo: cyprus-mail.com
- Cyprus holds the second highest ratio in the European Union for issuing first residence permits to non-EU citizens under the age of 18, relative to its own child population, according to Eurostat.
This figure highlights Cyprus’s appeal as a destination for international families, with the island recording 2,584 permits issued per 100,000 population under 18 years of age. The only country surpassing this number is Malta, which recorded an impressive 3,379 permits. In stark contrast, Luxembourg, which ranks third, issued 1,861 permits.
When examining the broader EU landscape, several countries lag significantly behind. Latvia, Croatia, Estonia, Bulgaria, and Romania all reported a ratio of less than 200 first permits per 100,000 minors. Notably, France stands out with the lowest figure of just 17 permits per 100,000, primarily due to its policies which generally do not favour issuing residence permits to minors.
In total, across the EU in 2024, 540,445 first residence permits were granted to non-EU citizens under the age of 18. The majority of these permits—356,554, representing 66 per cent—were issued for family formation and reunification purposes. Other reasons for permits included international protection, which accounted for 160,618 permits, or 30 per cent of the total. Education-related permits made up the smallest share, with only 21,179 issued, equating to 4 per cent of the total.
The countries issuing the highest number of first residence permits to minors in absolute terms were Germany, with 138,692 permits, constituting 26 per cent of the EU total. Spain followed with 107,828 permits, or 20 per cent, and Italy issued 60,125 permits, accounting for 11 per cent.
In terms of citizenship, Syrian nationals represented 12 per cent of the total first residence permits issued to minors in the EU, followed by Moroccan children at 7 per cent and Ukrainian minors at 6 per cent. Interestingly, citizens from Asian countries comprised the largest group of minors granted first residence permits, representing 37 per cent of the total. This was followed by 27 per cent from European non-EU countries and 21 per cent from African nations. Citizens from the Caribbean, Central, and South America made up 11 per cent, while North American minors accounted for 2 per cent.
