Turkish citizen’s asylum applications to EU reach 28,000 in first half of 2024 

Turkish citizens asylum applications to the European Union have seen a significant drop in the first half of 2024, falling to 28,224 from a peak last year. While the country briefly held the second-highest position for asylum applications, this surge was temporary and has since stabilized.

The total number of asylum applications to the EU, Norway, and Switzerland reached 513,000 in the first half of 2024. Although the overall number of applications is slightly lower compared to the previous year, the year-end figures are expected to exceed 1 million.

Syria and Afghanistan lead in asylum applications

In the first half of 2024, Syrians continued to lead the asylum applications with a 14% share. The number of Syrian applications rose by 7% compared to the same period last year, totaling 71,000. Despite an 18% decrease from the previous year, Afghan nationals remained in the second spot with 45,000 applications.

Latin American countries experienced a surge in asylum applications due to visa waiver agreements. Venezuela submitted 37,000, Colombia 29,000, and Peru 14,000 applications. Notably, 90% of Venezuelans and 80% of Colombians applied to Spain.

Turkish citizens asylum applications and trends

Turkish nationals made 28,224 asylum applications in the first half of 2024. Of these, 57% (16,088) were directed to Germany, followed by France with 4,382 applications and Greece with 2,000 applications.

The acceptance rate for Turkish asylum applications has declined significantly, dropping from 54% in 2019 to 18% in the first half of 2024. In contrast, the acceptance rate for first asylum applications across the EU+ region stands at 46%.

Germany remains top destination

Germany continues to be the most popular destination for asylum-seekers, despite a 20% decrease in applications from the first half of 2023. It received 124,000 applications, while Spain and Italy received 88,000 and 85,000 applications, respectively. Cyprus remains the EU country with the highest asylum application rate per capita, with 4,900 applications.

The war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022, has resulted in 4.5 million Ukrainian refugees by the end of June 2024. Ukraine’s temporary protection status has been extended until March 2026. Germany remains the top destination for Ukrainians with 1.3 million applications, followed by Poland with 1 million and France with 62,000.