Belgium records 13% decline in asylum applications in 2025

Applications for international protection in Belgium fell 13% in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to official figures released by the country's asylum authority, Belga News Agency reported Friday.

A total of 34,439 people sought protection in Belgium last year, down from 39,615 in 2024, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons said.

Afghanistan, Palestine, Eritrea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Türkiye were the leading countries of origin among applicants.

Applications from people who had already been granted protection in another European Union member state also declined sharply, falling 45.5% to 2,629 from 4,825 in 2024.