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).


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.

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.

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.

Sources