Data extracted: 29 October 2025.
Planned article update: November 2026.
Highlights
In 2024, around 540 400 first residence permits were issued in the EU to minors who were not EU citizens. Among these minors, 38.6% were aged less than 5 years.
Syrian, Moroccan and Ukrainian were the 3 most common non-EU citizenships for first residence permits delivered to minors in 2024.
Among all migrants, minors are a particularly vulnerable group in need of special attention. This article presents recent developments in relation to the number of minors who are non-EU citizens with a first residence permit in the EU.
This article forms part of the online publication Children in migration - facts and figures that also provides a range of complementary demographic and migration characteristics of minors and statistics on asylum applicants under the age of 18. In this article, for the statistics on first residence permits, due to limited availability of data by age group 15-17, the time series analysis covers the minors under the age of 15.
Latest information for the EU
In 2024, the total number of first residence permits issued in the EU to minors was 540 445 (Figure 1). Among these, 356 554 first residence permits were issued for reasons related to family formation and reunification, representing 66.0% of all first residence permits issued to minors in the EU. Another 183 891 first permits were issued to minors for reasons other than family reasons, including 21 179 for education-related reasons and 160 618 for other reasons[1].
In 2024, children aged less than 5 years accounted for 38.6% of the number of first residence permits issued in the EU to minors. Among all minors, males represented a slightly higher proportion (53.3%) than females (46.6%).
In 2024, the EU countries which issued the most residence permits to minors were Germany (138 692; 25.7% of the EU total), Spain (107 828; 20.0%) and Italy (60 125; 11.1%) (Figure 2).
The number of first residence permits issued to minors relative to the population aged less than 18 years gives an indicator in relative terms of the weight of first residence permits delivered to minors. This data is also presented in Figure 2. In 2024, this ratio averaged 674 per 100 000 people aged less than 18 years in the EU. Among the EU countries, the highest ratio (3 379) was observed in Malta, while in Slovenia, Austria, Luxembourg and Cyprus, it was more than double the EU average. In 6 EU countries – Latvia, Croatia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania and France – this ratio was less than 200 first permits per 100 000; it should be noted that France (where the lowest value of 17 per 100 000 was recorded), generally does not issue residence permits to minors.
Figure 2 also shows the share of children aged less than 5 years among all minors having been issued with first residence permits. In the EU, this averaged 38.6% in 2024. By far the highest share for this indicator was observed in Czechia and Sweden (58.8% each). Slovenia, Austria, Luxembourg, Italy, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Denmark and Finland were the other EU countries to record shares above the EU average. By contrast, the lowest share was observed in Portugal (10.6%), Ireland (2.2%) and France (0.4%).
Developments during the period from 2015 to 2024
This section focuses on first residence permits granted to children under 15 years, as data for the age group 15-17 is only available from 2021 to 2024. To enhance comparability across different time periods and among EU countries, the data is presented as a ratio per 100 000 people under 15 years of age. The EU total for each year is calculated based on available EU country data for that year; the data on the population aged less than 15 years used as the denominator for this ratio are calculated based on the same availability of EU countries as for the data on first residence permits.
Figure 3 shows that the ratio for first residence permits issued in the EU to children followed an upward path from 2015 to 2019. In 2020, there was a sharp drop, at least in part explained by the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions, for example on international travel. In 2021, the ratio rebounded to a level higher than that observed in 2019. In 2023, the ratio rose to the highest level since the beginning of the presented time series, before declining in 2024. Over the whole period shown in Figure 3, this ratio ranged between a low of 417 permits per 100 000 people aged less than 15 years and a high of 774 permits.
Figure 4 shows maximum, minimum, average and latest number of first residence permits issued to children aged less than 15 years relative to the population aged less than 15 years over the period 2015 to 2024.
The difference between the maximum and minimum values recorded between 2015 and 2024 in Cyprus (a range of 2 830 permits per 100 000 people) was almost 8 times as high as the range recorded for the EU average (357 per 100 000); the second largest range of 1 548 per 100 000 was observed for Sweden.
The highest average ratios, at least 2 times as high as the EU average (570 per 100 000), were recorded in in Cyprus (1 897 per 100 000), Luxembourg (1 691), Sweden (1 484) and Austria (1 186). By contrast, the lowest average ratios were observed in Bulgaria (102 per 100 000), Croatia (98), Ireland (67), Romania (42) and France (2); in all of these, the national average was less than a quarter of the EU average.
Analysis of countries of citizenship: EU overview
Figure 5 provides a summary analysis (at a geographic region level) of countries of citizenship of minors issued first residence permits in the EU. In 2024, 37.2% were citizens of an Asian country, 27.3% were Europeans (non-EU), 20.7% were citizens of an African country, 11.0% were Caribbean, Central and South American and 1.8% were North American citizens. The remaining 2% corresponded to Oceania, unknown and stateless categories.
Table 1 provides similar information to that in Figure 5 but includes also the top 5 countries of citizenship for the four geographic regions with the largest shares.
- Africa: Morocco ranked highest with 39 821 minors receiving first residence permits in 2024, comprising 7.4% of the total for all countries of citizenship.
- Asia: Syria had 62 160 minors issued first residence permits (11.5%), followed by Afghanistan with 25 309 (4.7%), and India with 21 367 (4.0%).
- Europe (non-EU): Ukraine (31 544; 5.8%), Belarus (22 357; 4.1%), and Albania (18 697; 3.5%) were the top countries for minors receiving first residence permits.
- Caribbean, Central and South America: Brazil topped with 11 132 minors issued first residence permits, accounting for 2.1%.
Source: Eurostat (migr_resfas)
Figure 6 shows the countries of citizenship with the highest number of minors having been granted a first residence permit in the EU in 2024. Among the top 10 countries of citizenship, there were 5 European countries, 4 Asian countries and 1 African country.
EU countries as destinations
Some of the factors that may influence the destination chosen by non-EU citizens who are granted residence permits include:
- geographical proximity (for example, a high number of Moroccans sought residence in Spain);
- historical and linguistic links (for example, a high number of Brazilians and Angolans sought residence in Portugal);
- established migrant networks (for example, a high number of citizens of Türkiye sought residence in Germany).
For the 10 largest countries of citizenship of minors issued with first residence permits, Table 2 shows the 3 largest EU destinations countries in 2024 as well as a residual total for all other EU countries. Table 3 reverses the perspective, showing for each EU country the five main countries of citizenship as well as a residual for all other countries of citizenship. The relative share of the residuals in each of these tables gives an idea of the geographical diversity of flows related to the issuance of first residence permits to minors between country of citizenship and the host countries.
When looking at the destination of minors from the top 10 countries of citizenship in Table 2, the category of other EU countries (as the destination) is below one-third in 6 countries of citizenship – Syria, Morocco, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Belarus and Albania. This indicates that the target destinations focus on relatively few EU countries. For example, in the case of Syria, it can be noted that the top 3 destinations include Germany, the Netherlands and Austria, each of which received a large share of Syrian asylum applicants during the migration crisis in 2015–2016. In contrast, the residual category levels — referring to EU countries other than the top 3 with the largest shares — were highest for Indians, Russians and Chinese (respectively, 49.2%, 46.9% and 45.8%), indicating a more diversified breakdown by country of destination.
Source: Eurostat (migr_resfas)
Table 3 below provides information on the top 5 countries of citizenship of minors issued with a first residence permit in each EU and EFTA country.
- In 10 EU countries – Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary, Finland and Sweden – the share of the residual category (Other countries) was above half (50%).
- By contrast, in 5 EU countries – Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia – the share of the residual category was below one-quarter (25%).
Table 3 also reflects some specific links (such as economic, historical or proximity). For example, in Lithuania a high share of the first residence permits issued to minors were for Belarussians (55.1%). Equally, there were large shares for Ukrainians (47.2%) in Slovakia, Belarussians and Ukrainians (46.8% and 38.9%, respectively) in Poland, or Brazilians (39.1%) in Portugal.
Source: Eurostat (migr_resfas)
Source data for tables
Data sources
Residence permits statistics
The statistics used for this article are provided to Eurostat by the responsible authorities in each of the EU countries and EFTA countries, principally ministries of the interior / home affairs or various immigration agencies. The data are based entirely on administrative sources and are supplied to Eurostat as part of an annual residence permits data collection exercise according to the provisions of Article 6 of EU Regulation 862/2007 on community statistics on migration and international protection. EU Regulation 216/2010 provides the list and definition of reasons for permits being issued.
Before the 2021 reference year, the analysis by age of the number of first residence permits was reported by EU and EFTA countries on a voluntary basis. Starting with the 2021 reference period, there were several improvements in the data collection, including the methodological aspects. These changes were introduced through the implementation of EU Regulation 851/2020 amending EU Regulation 862/2007.
Persons benefitting from temporary protection are not included in any of the residence permits statistics. Temporary protection status is considered to be of a different administrative nature to that of the authorisations to reside reported in the residence permits data collection. These persons are subject of a separate data collection on Temporary Protection (TP); see data on temporary protection and the statistics explained article.
Methodological notes
Residence permits data collection refers to residence permits as any authorisation issued by the authorities of an EU country allowing a third-country national (non-EU citizen) to stay legally on its territory.
The data for France are relatively low in value as, generally (with some exceptions), France does not issue residence permits to minors who can stay in France under the permit issued to an accompanying adult person.
The "u" flag in Irish residence permit data highlights limited data quality reported by the Irish authorities. For the process of generating resident permits data that involves both the Irish Police and the Department of Justice an old information system is currently being used. The current system's limitations, which misses unique identifier of persons, require manual data checks, which may lead to potential quality issues. According to Irish authorities a comprehensive modernization programme of the information systems to ensure more accurate data management is in progress.
Context
The term 'children in migration' covers all minors (persons aged less than 18 years) who are a) not citizens of an EU country and b) forcibly displaced or migrate to and within the EU. They may be with their (extended) family, with a non-family member (separated minors) or alone; they may or may not be seeking asylum.
In recent years, the number of minors in migration arriving in the EU, many of whom are unaccompanied, has increased dramatically, particularly in 2015 and 2016. Besides asylum applicants, a substantial number of non-EU minors migrate with a residence permit for family reasons.
Protecting children is primarily about upholding European values of respect for human rights, dignity and solidarity. This is why protecting all children in migration, regardless of status and at all stages of migration, is a priority. The EU countries and the EU, with the support of the relevant EU agencies (European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)), have been active in this area for many years. The existing EU policies and legislation provide a solid framework for the protection of the rights of children in migration covering all aspects including reception conditions, the treatment of their applications and integration.
The protection of children in migration starts by addressing the root causes which lead so many to embark on perilous journeys to Europe. This means addressing the persistence of violent and often protracted conflicts, forced displacements, inequalities in living standards, limited economic opportunities, and access to basic services through sustained efforts to eradicate poverty and deprivation and to develop integrated child protection systems in non-EU countries. The EU and the countries have stepped up efforts to establish a comprehensive external policy framework to reinforce cooperation with partner countries in mainstreaming child protection at global, regional and bilateral levels. The EU is fully committed to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which calls for a world in which all children grow up free from violence and exploitation, have their rights protected and have access to quality education and health care. The 2015 Valletta Summit's political declaration and its action plan called for the prevention of and the fight against irregular migration, migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings (with a specific focus on women and children).
In the EU Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child renew the EU's commitment to promote and protect the indivisibility of the rights of the child in its relations with non-EU countries, including countries of origin or transit. In this context, the Council reaffirmed the need to protect all refugee and migrant children, regardless of their status, and give primary consideration at all times to the best interests of the child, including unaccompanied children and those separated from their families, in full compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols. In April 2021, the European Commission presented a new EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2021–2025).
Within the European Commission, the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs is responsible for immigration policy, whereas the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers is in charge of child policy. All information regarding the EU's migration and asylum policies can be accessed on the European Commission's website. Recent developments for the EU's overall immigration policy can be found in the Pact on Migration and Asylum that entered into force in June 2024 and will enter into application in June 2026.
Footnotes
- Further, 2 094 permits were reported as issued for employment reasons mainly in Poland. However, this reporting reflects certain limitations of the administrative registration systems and shall not be considered as permits issued for the purpose of work, but rather, concern children accompanying adult persons issued permits for employment-related reasons. To consult the data, please use the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/bookmark/585826b6-ba7c-40a5-aa1e-4466e09935f8?lang=en&createdAt=2025-11-03T06:55:00Z ↑