EU Sees 22% Drop in May Asylum Requests; Venezuelans Top List

The total covered non-EU citizens applying for international protection, the EU statistics office said in a statement. An additional 8,050 people were counted as subsequent applicants, meaning they had applied before, a figure virtually unchanged from May 2025 but 12% lower than in April 2026.

Venezuelans were the largest group of first-time applicants in May, with 4,465 people, followed by Afghans (3,425), Bangladeshis (2,860), and Sudanese (1,690). Italy recorded the highest number of first-time applicants at 10,660, followed by Spain (7,945), France (7,180), and Germany (5,965), together accounting for about three-quarters of the EU total.

There were 9.4 first-time asylum applicants per 100,000 people across the EU in May 2026, Eurostat said. Greece recorded the highest rate at 34.8 per 100,000, ahead of Italy (18.1) and Ireland (17.8), based on national populations as of 1 January 2026.

The EU recorded 945 first-time asylum applications from unaccompanied minors in May 2026, referring to children applying without a parent or guardian. The largest numbers came from Somalia (205), Sudan (110), Afghanistan (95), Egypt (85), and Venezuela (40). Germany received the most applications from unaccompanied minors, with 220, followed by the Netherlands (195), Greece (135), France (80), and Spain (75).