More asylum requests and fewer following family members in 2023

In 2023, over 38 thousand people submitted a first application for asylum in the Netherlands. This is 8 percent more than one year previously. In contrast, the number of following family members decreased by 7 percent, relative to 2022. Similar to recent years, Syrian asylum seekers constitute the largest group. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this based on the most recent asylum figures from the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).

The second half of 2023 saw the most asylum requests; over 23 thousand out of a total of over 38 thousand. Ukrainians made up 600 of all first asylum applications; 460 fewer than one year previously.

Over a third of asylum seekers are from Syria

The majority of asylum seekers in 2023 were from Syria, similar to previous years. There were 13 thousand first asylum requests, which is slightly more than in 2022. People from Turkey and Eritrea constitute the other larger groups of asylum seekers. The latter group in particular increased by 72 percent year on year.

Mainly young men apply for first asylum request

Three quarters of asylum seekers submitting their first asylum application in 2023 were men. The percentage was higher among those from Syria and Yemen, at 84 and 83 percent respectively. The majority of asylum seekers were under the age of 35 when applying for asylum. Nearly 3 in 10 of them were even under the age of 18, and nearly half of those from Eritrea were under age.

Slightly fewer family reunifications

In 2023, there were slightly over 10 thousand family member arrivals in the Netherlands; 800 fewer than in the previous year. This is largely due to fewer following family members from Syria and Eritrea arriving in the Netherlands, however, the number from Yemen doubled.

In 2023, 6 in 10 following family members were women, and nearly half of them were aged under 18. Of those from Syria and Yemen, 6 in 10 were under age.

Source & more information: https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2024/05/more-asylum-requests-and-fewer-following-family-members-in-2023