Cyprus revokes permits of Pakistanis after Limassol clashes
Residence permits have been withdrawn from Pakistani nationals linked to the October 15 clashes in Mesa Yeitonia, Limassol, the deputy migration ministry has said.
Cyprus has cancelled residence permits held by Pakistani nationals who took part in the disturbances in Mesa Yeitonia, Limassol, on October 15. The move follows instructions from Migration Deputy Minister Nicholas Ioannides, as reported by SigmaLive.
Some of those involved were already in the Republic without legal status, and removal procedures are being run jointly with the police. According to SigmaLive, nearly all of the Pakistani nationals concerned were students at private colleges, and several had attended only a handful of classes.
A deputy migration ministry source said checks at private colleges are being stepped up together with the education ministry and the police. The authorities also intend to make registration and entry rules for foreign students stricter, so that student permits are harder to abuse.
What it means for residents
The clampdown reaches beyond the people who clashed in Limassol: foreign students across the island, and the private colleges that enrol them, should expect more scrutiny and slower paperwork.
- Students: expect more frequent checks of enrolment and attendance, so keep your college records and attendance evidence in order.
- Colleges: tighter registration and entry requirements are coming, which may mean longer waiting times for new intakes.
- Status matters: anyone residing in Cyprus without valid documents faces removal procedures carried out with the police.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
