In May 2026, the EU+ received just over 52,000 applications for international protection, the lowest monthly level since July 2021 and nearly a quarter below the 2025 average.
Following the ousting of the Assad regime in December 2024, far fewer Syrians have been applying for asylum. Syrians lodged around 1,500 applications in May 2026, remaining far below the levels recorded during much of 2024 and 2025.
Afghans lodged the most applications in May 2026, with around 5,600. Afghan applications have declined since the peak reached in September 2025, which was driven largely by repeated applications from Afghan applicants already present in the EU+.
Venezuelans lodged around 4,600 applications in May 2026, ranking second among all citizenships. These applicants can travel visa-free to the Schengen area. Around 92% of all Venezuelan applications were lodged in Spain.
In May 2026, Iranian nationals lodged around 520 applications, remaining a relatively small contributor to the overall EU+ asylum inflow. This was broadly stable compared with April and does not indicate a sustained increase.
