In 2020, 129 630 children (persons under 18 years old) lodged a first-time application for asylum in the EU which corresponds to 31% of the total number of first-time asylum applications recorded in the EU. Among those children, 10% were unaccompanied minors corresponding to 3% of the total number of first-time asylum applicants.
Across the EU Member States, the share of children in the total number of first-time asylum applicants varied in 2020 from 54% in Germany to 6% in Slovakia, whereas the share of unaccompanied minors in the total number of first-time asylum applicants was the highest in Bulgaria (23%) and the lowest in Spain (0.1%). In Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary no applications from unaccompanied minors were registered in 2020.
Data sources: migr_asyappctza and migr_asyunaa
Concerning the country of citizenship of minor first-time asylum applicants in 2020, more than half (52%) of the children had a citizenship of an Asian country, 22% an African, 13% an American and 9% had a European (non-EU) country citizenship. Syrian (25% of the total number of first-time asylum applicant children) was the main citizenship of the minor first-time asylum applicants in 2020.
The share of unaccompanied minors in the number of first-time asylum applicant children by continent was 15% for Asia and 11% for Africa, whereas this share was only equal to 2% for Europe (non-EU) and 1% for America. In 2020, the top country of citizenship of asylum applicants considered to be unaccompanied minors was Afghanistan (41% of the EU total of all applicants considered unaccompanied minors).
Data source: migr_asyappctza
For more information:
- Statistics Explained article on children in migration - asylum applicants.
- Eurostat website section on children in migration statistics.
- Eurostat database of children in migration statistics.
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