ISLAMABAD: In the first half of 2026, Afghans submitted the most asylum applications in the European Union and associated countries, according to a report by the European Union Agency for Asylum.
The country sent approximately 39,000 applications to EU+ nations, surpassing all other nationalities.
Total EU+ asylum applications reached approximately 332,000 in the first half of 2026, per EUAA data, a 17% decline from the same period in 2025 and the lowest first-half total since 2021, excluding pandemic-affected years.
Afghan nationals remained the primary driver of displacement toward Europe, followed by Venezuelans with approximately 33,000 applications and Bangladeshis with 20,000.
High recognition rate
Afghans facing recognition proceedings achieved a 73% recognition rate at the first-instance level, according to EUAA figures. This far exceeded rates for many other nationalities. Although Malians achieved an 87% recognition rate and Haitians 84%, Bangladeshis and Venezuelans each saw only 3% recognition rates, while Egyptians received 2%.
Regional concentration of Afghan applications paralleled broader EU+ patterns.
France became the primary destination, receiving around 69,000 total applications or 21% of the EU+ total, according to EUAA figures. Italy followed with 66,000 applications. Spain and Germany received approximately 55,000 and 54,000 applications, respectively. Together, these four countries accounted for roughly 75% of all EU+ applications.
When adjusted for population size, pressure on individual nations diverged significantly.
Greece recorded the highest rate per capita at 2,254 applications per million inhabitants, according to EUAA. Cyprus followed with 1,732 per million. The EU+ average stood at 710 applications per million inhabitants, equivalent to roughly one application for every 1,408 residents.
The overall recognition rate (the percentage of first-instance decisions granting refugee status or subsidiary protection) held at 31% across the EU+. This remained close to the 2025 level, which had fallen from a historical average of around 40%.
The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which entered into application on June 12, introduced accelerated procedures for applicants from countries designated as safe or with recognition rates of 20% or less. Bangladeshis, included on the first common EU list of safe countries of origin, saw applications shift toward expedited processing, per EUAA records.
Mixed numbers
Pending caseloads improved modestly amid the reduced inflow. Approximately 770,000 cases awaited first-instance decisions at the end of June 2026, according to EUAA data, down 8% from a year earlier.
However, the remaining workload had aged considerably. Around 73% of pending cases remained unresolved for more than six months, up from 68% a year earlier.
Broader policy responses reflected efforts to manage migration through multiple channels.
Spain approved an extraordinary regularization program for migrants already residing in the country without secure status. By the application deadline, around 1.17 million people had applied, largely Venezuelans seeking legal residency and work access without relying on asylum procedures, according to Spanish government data.
The Middle East War generated substantial regional displacement but produced no corresponding increase in EU+ asylum applications.
According to UNHCR, approximately 656,000 movements from Lebanon into Syria were recorded by early August, with Syrian nationals accounting for 98% of those movements.