More asylum requests in Q3 2022

Two asylum seekers walking down the street with pram
© Hollandse Hoogte / Michel Utrecht
In Q3 2022, 10.6 thousand people submitted first asylum applications in the Netherlands. This is 3.6 thousand more than in the previous quarter. The number of persons arriving in connection with family reunification rose by nearly 500 to 3.6 thousand. This is reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on the basis of the latest asylum figures from the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).

First asylum applications and family member arrivals
JaartalKwartaalFirst asylum applicationsFamily reunifications (persons)
2018Q141552140
2018Q243201970
2018Q362051280
2018Q458351070
2019Q15380845
2019Q25190890
2019Q358701200
2019Q461001245
2020Q144701065
2020Q21255260
2020Q34100860
2020Q438951680
2021Q127201510
2021Q233402600
2021Q388152780
2021Q498703230
2022*Q164852555
2022*Q270503140
2022*Q3106053605
* Provisional figures

In 2020 and 2021, the Netherlands received fewer first asylum applications and fewer following family members. This was mainly due to the travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. After the travel restrictions were lifted, the number of asylum applications and following relatives increased again in the latter half of 2021.

In Q3 of this year, a total of 10.6 thousand asylum seekers submitted a first asylum application. This is 3,555 more than in the previous quarter and 4,120 more than in Q1. The difference with the third quarter of 2021 is less significant (1,790 more asylum applications).

Over 4 in 10 are Syrians

In Q3, a total of 4,605 Syrians filed their first application. This number doubled compared to Q2 2022, when 2,260 first requests were submitted. Just as in previous quarters, Syrians formed the largest group of applicants.

The number of requests by Afghan asylum seekers rose by 58 percent year on year, to 995. After Syrians and Afghans, Turks (935) were the third largest group.

First asylum applications, by nationality
JaartalKwartaalSyrianAfghanTurkishYemeniEritreanOther
2018Q157565175504752815
2018Q270065320653852785
2018Q39701204601603454150
2018Q4725753452502054235
2019Q1575653001701304140
2019Q2725853051251053845
2019Q311101353451451254010
2019Q412651503052051404035
2020Q110951552501351002735
2020Q236020506540720
2020Q31370704501251101975
2020Q41245140240801202070
2021Q190014590751101400
2021Q210152103751051751460
2021Q32545156015353202052650
2021Q4392010954556902753435
2022*Q116407203605252502990
2022*Q222606306955502602655
2022*Q346059959356804652925
* Provisional figures

Further rise in family reunification

There were 3,605 family member arrivals in Q3 2022, i.e. 465 more than in the previous quarter (+15 percent). Relative to Q1 2022, the number increased by 41 percent. Syrians remained the largest group among reunification arrivals (68 percent).

The number of Turkish reunification arrivals rose by 220 (+86 percent) to 475 in Q3, while the numbers from Eritrea and Iran remained virtually unchanged.

Family reunification, by nationality
JaartalNationaliteitSyrianIranianTurkishYemeniEritreanOther
2018Q1655551025915480
2018Q2645301045770470
2018Q3375302045505305
2018Q4460101015375200
2019Q1290151015355160
2019Q2250102040420150
2019Q3310203085540215
2019Q4515152055465175
2020Q1315102075510135
2020Q2700102012040
2020Q3355016555115170
2020Q47203560275320270
2021Q17654518020095225
2021Q2164025140185275335
2021Q3178510270115140460
2021Q4224540145150225425
2022*Q11745501409095435
2022*Q2223565255115155315
2022*Q3244565475110155355
* Provisional figures

Ukraine and Russia

This year, more Ukrainians came to the Netherlands than in previous years because of the war in Ukraine. Although they do not need to apply for asylum in order to reside or work here, some still filed an application. Altogether in Q2 2022, 15 Ukrainians submitted an asylum request; this was 5 in Q3. Other CBS figures show that more than 95 thousand Ukrainians were registered with a Dutch municipality between end of February and early October 2022.

In Q3 2022, 80 Russian nationals submitted a first asylum application. This is fewer than in Q1 and Q2, when Russians submitted 120 and 170 first applications, respectively.