According to recent data from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Syrians have submitted the highest number of asylum applications in Germany, totaling 33,556, including 1,553 follow-up applications, between March and May 2024.
In May, Syrians accounted for the largest group of applicants, with 5,280 out of 17,231 total applications. Similarly, in April, 5,600 Syrians were among the 17,500 applicants. Overall, the BAMF received over 112,000 asylum applications during this period, comprising 103,000 initial applications and over 9,000 follow-up applications.
Compared to the same period in 2023, this represents a 17.6% decrease, from over 125,566 initial applications. Since the beginning of 2024, the BAMF has made decisions on over 131,750 asylum applications, rejecting 35,892 and terminating procedures for 34,183 applications.
At the EU level, asylum requests increased by 18% in 2023, reaching 1,142,618 applications, the highest since the migrant crisis of 2015-2016, according to the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA). Syrians accounted for the largest group of applicants, with 181,000 applications, a 38% increase from 2022.
Understanding Asylum Application Types
The BAMF distinguishes between:
Initial Application: The first formal request for protection from political persecution or harm.
Follow-up Application: Submitted after a previous application has been withdrawn or rejected, with new evidence or significant changes in circumstances.
Secondary Application: Filed in Germany after an unsuccessful asylum process in a safe third country (EU member states, Norway, or Switzerland).
These distinctions are crucial in understanding the asylum process and the various pathways seekers of protection can take.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
