04/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/29/2024 07:20
In 2023, 254 900 first-time asylum applicants registered in EU countries were children (persons under 18 years old), representing 24.3% of the total number of first-time asylum applications. Among those children, 17.0% were unaccompanied minors, corresponding to 4.1% of the total number of first-time asylum applicants.
Across the EU countries, the share of children in the total number of first-time asylum applicants was the highest in Austria (34.7%), Luxembourg (34.4%) and Hungary (33.3%).
The share of unaccompanied minors in the total number of first-time asylum applicants was the highest in Bulgaria (17.2%), the Netherlands (15.2%) and Austria (9.1%).
Source datasets: migr_asyappctza, migr_asyumacta and migr_asyunaa
A diverse range of citizenships were represented among minor first-time asylum applicants in 2023: 44.4% from Asian countries, 20.2% from European (non-EU) countries, 19.8% from African countries and 14.4% from American countries.
The share of unaccompanied minors in the number of first-time asylum applicant children by continent was 25.9% for Asia, 19.3% for Africa, whereas this share was only 6.3% for America and 3.6% for Europe.
In 2023, the most represented citizenships of unaccompanied minor asylum applicants in the EU were Syrians and Afghans, making up respectively 31.6% and 30.1% of all first-time asylum applicants considered unaccompanied minors.
Source datasets: migr_asyappctza, migr_asyumacta and migr_asyunaa
In 2023, 174 900 first instance decisions on asylum applications lodged by children aged less than 18 years were made in the EU, and a further 29 465 final decisions following an appeal or review. A total of 204 365 asylum decisions were issued.
Decisions made at first instance resulted in 112 780 children being granted protection status, while another 8 135 children received protection status after an appeal or review. Overall, EU countries granted protection status to 120 915 minor asylum seekers at the first and final instances in 2023.