More asylum requests in Q3 2023

© Hollandse Hoogte / Novum RegioFoto
In the third quarter of 2023, 10.5 thousand people submitted a first application for asylum in the Netherlands. That is 32 percent up on the previous quarter. The number of following family members coming to the Netherlands was slightly lower than in Q2, -1 percent. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this based on the latest asylum figures from the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).

First asylum applications and following family members
JaartalKwartaalFirst asylum applicationsFollowing family members
2018Q141552140
2018Q243201970
2018Q362051280
2018Q458351070
2019Q15380845
2019Q25190890
2019Q358701200
2019Q461001245
2020Q144701065
2020Q21255260
2020Q34100860
2020Q438951680
2021Q127201510
2021Q233402600
2021Q388152780
2021Q498703230
2022Q164502570
2022Q273253165
2022Q3110153650
2022Q4107451545
2023*Q169101895
2023*Q279202625
2023*Q3104802590
* provisional figures

Relative to Q2 2023, the number of first asylum applications rose by slightly more than 2.5 thousand in Q3. The increase was mainly seen among Syrians (+82 percent), Turks (+73 percent) and Eritreans (+49 percent).

Compared to Q3 2022, the number of first asylum applications decreased by 535 in Q3 of this year. It was mainly lower among Afghan nationals (-86 percent), while the numbers from Syrians, Yemenis and Ukrainians were lower than one year previously. By contrast, there were more first asylum applications from Eritreans (+61 percent) and Algerians (+66 percent) than in Q3 2022.

First asylum applications, main nationalities
JaartalKwartaalSyrian Turkish Eritrean SomalianOther
2020Q11095250100502975
2020Q2360504015790
2020Q31370450110652105
2020Q41245240120752215
2021Q190090110451575
2021Q21015375175851690
2021Q3254515352054054125
2021Q439204552753654855
2022Q116253602503403875
2022Q222456952553003830
2022Q345959354653304690
2022Q441856954004904975
2023*Q115554753804854015
2023*Q223755055054804055
2023*Q343208757504554080
* provisional figures

Fewer following family members

In Q3 2023, altogether nearly 2.6 thousand following family members arrived in the Netherlands. This is 35 less than the previous quarter. Most of the following family members came from Syria (1.7 thousand), which is almost the same number as in Q2. The number of following relatives from Yemen increased the most (+54 percent).

Compared to Q3 2022, the number of following family members was 29 percent lower in the same quarter of this year. The numbers from Syria, Turkey and Eritrea in particular were lower. Only the number from Yemen showed nearly a threefold increase.

Following family members, main nationalities
JaartalNationaliteitSyrian YemeniTurkishOther
2020Q13157520655
2020Q2702010160
2020Q335555165285
2020Q472027560625
2021Q1765200180365
2021Q21640185140635
2021Q31785115270610
2021Q42245150145690
2022Q11745100140585
2022Q22250120255540
2022Q32475110485580
2022Q476545215520
2023*Q1108580265465
2023*Q21745195325360
2023*Q31740300300250
* provisional figures

Fewer asylum requests from Ukraine

In Q3 2023, the number of asylum requests by Ukrainians dropped to 85; the number of requests from Russians (85) remained almost the same as in the second quarter. At 340, the number of Ukrainian first-time applicants was substantially higher in Q3 2022, partly due to the war in Ukraine.

Relative to Q2 2023, the number of first asylum applications from Moldovans fell to 125 in Q3 (-22 percent). In Q2, a total of 160 Moldovans filed their first application. There were no following family members from Moldova.

First asylum applications
JaartalKwartaalMoldovans UkrainiansRussians
2020Q152060
2020Q20515
2020Q310545
2020Q4151060
2021Q10520
2021Q2101050
2021Q3153070
2021Q4152560
2022Q11555120
2022Q260325170
2022Q35534080
2022Q475340225
2023*Q17010590
2023*Q216010080
2023*Q31258585
* provisional figures

Sources