Luxembourg, 29 April 2024
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).
44% of minor first-time asylum applicants originated from Asia
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.
About 2 in 3 first-time asylum applications from unaccompanied minors lodged by Syrians and Afghans
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).
120 915 minor asylum seekers were granted protection status in EU in 2023
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.
For more information
- Statistics Explained article on children in migration – asylum applicants
- Thematic section on children in migration
- Database on children in migration
- Migration and asylum in Europe – 2023 edition – Eurostat (europa.eu)
Source – Eurostat