EU Member States saw a 27% drop in first-time asylum applications in 2025

A recent Eurostat publication revealed that 669,400 first-time asylum applicants registered for international protection in EU countries in 2025, signalling a decrease of 27% compared with 2024 (912,400).

Venezuelans submitted 89,500 first-time asylum applications, making Venezuela the main country of origin for asylum seekers in the EU in 2025, with 13% of all applications. Afghanistan followed with 63,800 applications (10%), while Syrians came in third with 40,000 applications (6%), having previously led in asylum applications from 2013 to 2024. 

Five EU countries accounted for 83% of all first-time asylum applicants last year

Spain received the highest number of first-time asylum applicants in 2025, with 141,000 applicants accounting for 21% of the EU total. Italy followed with 126,600 applications (19%), while France received 116,400 applications and Germany 113,200 (each accounting for 17% of all applications). Greece ranked fifth, with 55,400 applications, which account for 8% of the EU total. These five countries together accounted for 83% of all first-time asylum applicants in the EU in 2025.

Greece recorded the highest rate of first-time asylum applicants per capita, with 5.3 applicants per 1,000 inhabitants. Cyprus and Spain followed with 2.9 applicants each, ahead of Luxembourg with 2.6 and Ireland with 2.4.

Compared to 2024, the number of first-time asylum applicants decreased in 24 EU countries, with the 3 largest absolute decreases observed in Germany (-116,500 applicants, or 50.7% less), Italy (-24,500 applicants, or 16.2% less) and Spain (-24,400 applicants, or 14.7% less). Among the 3 EU countries that registered increases, the highest increase was observed in Latvia (+500 applicants, or 61.3% more).

Applications lodged by unaccompanied minors

In 2025, 21,125 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU, a decrease of 38.9% compared to 2024 (34,600).

The EU countries that received the highest number of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors were Germany (4,900, 23.3% of the total), the Netherlands (3,600, 17.1%), Spain (3,200, 15.2%), Greece (3,000, 14.3%) and Belgium (1,600, 7.6%).

Compared with 2024, the number of unaccompanied minors decreased in 18 EU countries, with the 3 largest absolute decreases observed in Germany (-8,400 applicants, or 63.1% less), Bulgaria (-2,000 applicants, or 78.1% less) and Greece (-1,600 applicants, or 35.1% less). Among the 5 EU countries that registered increases, the highest increase was observed in Spain (+21,300 applicants, or 252.7% more).

Find out more

Eurostat's publication is based on a rich dataset, including visualisations, links to other publications and legislation. More information can also be found on our Statistics on migration to Europe page, which is regularly updated in collaboration with Eurostat.

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