According to the latest Eurostat figures, the number of first-time asylum applications in the European Union continued to decline in May, falling by 22% compared with the same month last year.
A total of 42,525 non-EU citizens applied for international protection for the first time in May 2026, down from 54,765 in May 2025. Applications also declined by 2% compared with April, when 43,360 first-time applications were registered.
Another 8,050 people submitted subsequent asylum applications during the month. This figure remained practically unchanged from May last year but was 12% lower than in April.
Venezuelans remained the largest nationality seeking asylum in the EU, with 4,465 first-time applicants. They were followed by Afghans with 3,425 applications, Bangladeshis with 2,860 and Sudanese with 1,690.
Italy received by far the largest number of first-time asylum applications at 10,660, followed by Spain with 7,945, France with 7,180 and Germany with 5,965. Together, the four countries received around 75% of all first-time asylum applications submitted across the European Union in May. In Malta, 45 people submitted first-time asylum applications during May, down from 50 in April.
Relative to population size, Greece recorded the highest rate of asylum applications, at 34.8 first-time applicants for every 100,000 residents. Italy followed with 18.1 applicants per 100,000 people and Ireland with 17.8. The EU average stood at 9.4.
Another 945 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time during May. The largest groups were Somali children at 205, followed by Sudanese at 110 and Afghans at 95.
Germany received the largest number of applications from unaccompanied minors at 220, followed by the Netherlands with 195 and Greece with 135.
The latest figures continue the downward trend in asylum applications recorded across the EU this year, with first-time applications in May substantially below their level a year earlier.
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