Over 40 percent more asylum applications in 2022

Most applications in second half of 2022

Last year, 35,535 asylum seekers submitted a first asylum application, the highest number since 2015. More applications were made in the second half (21,760 requests) than in the first half (13,775 requests) of 2022. In February, the IND received the lowest number (1,600) of requests and in September the highest (4,435). After September, the number of applications decreased again.

Over 1 in 3 asylum seekers from Syria

As in previous years, people with Syrian nationality formed the largest group of asylum seekers in 2022, accounting for almost 36 percent (12,640) of the total. This is roughly a half more than in the previous year. Nearly 70 percent of Syrian asylum applications were submitted in the second half of the year.

Just as in 2021, Afghan (2,730) and Turkish (2,685) nationals constituted the next largest groups in 2022, after Syrians. The number of requests by Afghan applicants fell by 9 percent, while the number of Turkish applications rose by 9 percent relative to one year previously.

Slight increase in family reunification

In 2022, 10,925 following family members came to the Netherlands. This is approximately 800 more than in the previous year. The number of following relatives was smallest in the last quarter (1,545) and largest in the third quarter (3,640) of 2022.

The increase in family reunification is largely on account of Syrian and Turkish nationals. Last year, 7,240 Syrian family members travelled to the Netherlands, around 12 percent more than in 2021. The number of following relatives with Turkish nationality rose by 49 percent to 1,095 in 2022.

The number of Eritrean and Yemeni dependents fell by 28 and 42 percent, respectively.

Sharp rise in Ukrainian and Russian asylum applications

Most Ukrainians who entered the Netherlands in 2022 received temporary protection through the EU's Temporary Protection Directive and are allowed to stay in the Netherlands until 4 March 2023. Under this directive, Ukrainians do not have to submit an asylum application. For a number of Ukrainians, it turned out that they were not covered by this directive but have to go through an asylum procedure. In 2022, altogether 1,060 people with Ukrainian nationality applied for asylum. This number still stood at 70 in 2021. The number of applications by Russian nationals was 590, nearly three times as many as in 2021.