Asylum applications fall to lowest level in 14 years
Fewer people are applying for asylum in Germany. According to figures from the Federal Interior Ministry reported by BILD, 3,345 first-time asylum applications were filed in September up to the 25th. In the whole of September last year there were 9,126. The ministry says this is the lowest level in 14 years.
The figures continue a trend. According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), 47,296 first applications were filed from January to August. If this continues, the total for the year could stay well below 100,000, which would be the lowest since 2012. Since the EU asylum reform (GEAS) took effect on 12 June, some figures are counted differently, so comparisons with earlier years should be read with care.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) sees the numbers as the result of his policy, including border controls and more deportations. Migration researchers point out that asylum numbers depend strongly on the situation in countries of origin, and that applications in Germany have been falling since 2023. On Saturday, Dobrindt hosted interior ministers from 17 European countries in Munich to discuss more returns and a stronger role for the EU border agency Frontex.
What it means for you: the lower numbers do not change your right to apply for asylum or the rules for cases that are already open. If your case is pending, keep your address up to date with the BAMF and the foreigners' office (Ausländerbehörde) and attend every appointment. Family reunification for people with subsidiary protection is still suspended, so get advice from a migration counselling service or a lawyer before making plans.