Nearly 40 percent fewer asylum seekers in 2020

2013	Q1	2.11
2013	Q2	2.01
2013	Q3	2.53
2013	Q4	3.20
2014	Q1	3.26
2014	Q2	7.19
2014	Q3	6.99
2014	Q4	4.39
2015	Q1	2.44
2015	Q2	6.32
2015	Q3	14.75
2015	Q4	19.60
2016	Q1	5.58
2016	Q2	3.08
2016	Q3	5.19
2016	Q4	5.52
2017	Q1	4.03
2017	Q2	3.80
2017	Q3	4.37
2017	Q4	3.96
2018	Q1	4.16
2018	Q2	4.32
2018	Q3	6.21
2018	Q4	5.84
2019	Q1	5.38
2019	Q2	5.19
2019	Q3	5.87
2019	Q4	6.10
2020	Q1	4.47
2020	Q2	1.26
2020	Q3	4.10
2020	Q4	3.90

Last year, 13,720 asylum seekers submitted a first-time asylum request, approximately 40 percent less than one year previously. Especially in Q2, there were substantially fewer asylum seekers compared to the same quarter of the previous year, after travel restrictions were introduced in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The number of first-time asylum applications stood at 1,255 in that quarter, a year-on-year decline of 76 percent. April saw the lowest number of asylum seekers within one month (270) since the start of the series in 2013.

In the period May through September 2020, the number of asylum request showed an increase again. The Netherlands received a total of 4,100 asylum seekers in Q3 2020, 30 percent less than one year previously. In the final quarter of 2020, the number fell again slightly to 3,895 submissions of first-time asylum requests.

Almost 1 in 3 asylum seekers from Syria

As in previous years, people with Syrian nationality formed the largest group of asylum seekers, accounting for almost 30 percent (4,070) of the total in 2020. The number of Syrian nationals entering the Netherlands rose by 395 compared to 2019. This also makes Syria the only country from which there were more asylum seekers in 2020 than in 2019.

In 2020, 995 Algerian nationals applied for asylum, slightly more than people with Turkish nationality. In addition, 775 asylum seekers with Moroccan nationality and 635 with Nigerian nationality came to the Netherlands.

Syrian	4070	3675	2960
Algerian	995	1210	1265
Turkish	990	1250	1300
Moroccan	775	1060	1065
Nigerian	635	2100	560

Less rapid decrease in following relatives than in asylum requests

The number of following family members fell to 3,865 in 2020. This is 8 percent less than in 2019. Family reunification was mainly down in Q2 2020, when 260 (71 percent less than in 2019) relatives came to the Netherlands.

Due to the COVID-19 measures, embassies closed or limited many of their consular services in Q2. This included suspending the issuance of provisional residence permits. Travel to the European Union was also limited or impossible. Subsequently, many consular services were made available again and borders were gradually reopened as well.

In Q3 and Q4, the number of following relatives rose again, to 860 and 1,680 respectively.

2013	Q1	0.80
2013	Q2	0.81
2013	Q3	0.98
2013	Q4	1.06
2014	Q1	0.96
2014	Q2	0.88
2014	Q3	1.42
2014	Q4	2.10
2015	Q1	1.84
2015	Q2	2.81
2015	Q3	5.22
2015	Q4	3.98
2016	Q1	1.91
2016	Q2	1.31
2016	Q3	2.61
2016	Q4	6.00
2017	Q1	5.30
2017	Q2	4.10
2017	Q3	2.26
2017	Q4	2.84
2018	Q!	2.14
2018	Q2	1.97
2018	Q3	1.28
2018	Q4	1.07
2019	Q1	0.85
2019	Q2	0.89
2019	Q3	1.20
2019	Q4	1.25
2020	Q1	1.07
2020	Q2	0.26
2020	Q3	0.86
2020	Q4	1.68

Following relatives also mainly from Syria

Similar to the group of asylum seekers, Syrian nationals formed the largest group of following family members, with almost 38 percent of the total. A total of 1,460 Syrian following relatives came to the Netherlands, 95 more than in 2019.

Syrian	1460	1365	2135
Eritrean	1070	1780	2565
Yemeni	425	200	130
Turkish	255	75	50
Stateless	130	140	240