Syrian asylum applications in Europe dropped by 66% in 2025 – EUAA
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syrian asylum applications in Europe dropped by two-thirds in the first half of 2025, reshaping the EU’s migration landscape after more than a decade of Syrians being the largest nationality group seeking protection, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) announced on Monday.
In its Mid-Year review, the EUAA said that only 25,000 Syrians applied for asylum in EU+ countries (EU states plus Norway and Switzerland) between January and June, compared to nearly 75,000 in the same period in 2024.
The decline followed the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 and the suspension of asylum processing for many Syrians as governments reassess protection needs.
For the first time in years, Venezuelans surpassed Syrians, with 49,000 applications, and Afghans with 42,000.
Germany, once the major destination for Syrians, also lost its top spot, with France with 78,000 and Spain with 77,000 now registering more asylum claims.
Overall, EU+ countries received 399,000 applications in the first half of 2025, a 23 percent decrease year-on-year. The EUAA reported the recognition rate fell to 25 percent, the lowest on record, largely due to Syrian case withdrawals and suspended procedures.
Other nationalities showed upward trends. Venezuelans applied mostly in Spain, while Haitians and Malians recorded some of the highest recognition rates, at 86 percent and 79 percent respectively. By June, nearly 918,000 cases were still pending a first-instance decision.