The number of asylum applications in Germany has significantly decreased in the first six months of 2025, according to figures provided by the Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) on Saturday, reported dpa.
From January to June, 61,336 people applied for protection in Germany for the first time, a decline of nearly 50% compared to the same period last year. The figures were made available to dpa.
"Between January and June 2025, 72,818 formal asylum applications were submitted, of which 61,336 were initial applications and 11,482 were follow-up applications," a ministry spokesman said.
"That was 44.9% fewer than in the same period last year, from January to June 2024, when 132,201 asylum applications were filed," he said.
In addition to gradually introduced fixed border checks at all German land crossings, measures undertaken by Balkan states to reduce migration are also believed to be a contributing factor.
Another is the changed situation in Syria where long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December. For years, Syria accounted for the largest share of asylum seekers in Germany.
In the first half of 2025, however, Syria narrowly moved into second place behind Afghanistan as the country of origin for first-time applicants, with 15,127 applications compared to Afghanistan's 15,181.
According to the Turkish government, more than 273,000 Syrians voluntarily returned from Turkey to their homeland between December 9 and mid-June.
Germany began checks at its borders in 2023 to prevent migrants who do not have the necessary papers from entering the country.
Once the new government took office in May, the checks were expanded and the rules tightened, so now, officials may also turn away people who plan to seek asylum.
(By Carsten Hoffmann and Anne-Béatrice Clasmann)
- Asylum applications
- Drop
- Germany
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
