More than half of asylum applications in the Netherlands are rejected, with a sharp decline in the number of Syrians.
The Netherlands witnessed a significant increase in the rejection of asylum applications last year, with more applications being rejected than approved for the first time in years, indicating an important shift in the country's immigration policy.
According to statistics from the Netherlands (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek - CBS), the Immigration and Naturalization Service (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst - IND) issued 15,550 initial decisions on asylum applications in 2025. Of these applications, 8,120 were rejected while 7,430 were approved, representing a 56% increase in rejection cases compared to 2024.
The number of asylum permits granted under subsidiary protection has sharply decreased, with only 2,900 people receiving these permits, a decrease of 70% compared to the previous year. Approvals for asylum as refugees also declined, with 3,400 cases granted in 2025, a decrease of 35%, while humanitarian asylum permits increased by 35%.
The decisions on asylum applications for Syrians have significantly decreased due to a temporary suspension following the change of government in Syria at the end of 2024. Only 390 Syrian applications were processed, with 28% approved, compared to 10,700 decisions and a 95% approval rate in 2024. The number of Syrians granted refugee status dropped from 2,900 to just 30.
In contrast, the number of decisions regarding non-Syrian refugees has increased, with IND issuing 15,200 decisions on other nationality applications, and 67% more were rejected compared to the previous year. The government explained that the decrease in violence in Syria was the reason for adjusting the assessment policy for Syrian asylum applications.