Rafiullah Nikzad 11.09.2026
A report by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) shows that around 39,000 asylum applications were lodged by Afghan nationals in Europe during the first half of 2026, with 51 percent of them nearly 20,000 applications filed in Germany.
The figures cover applications registered between January and June in the 27 EU member states, Norway, and Switzerland.
According to the report, the total number of asylum applications in these countries fell by 17 percent compared with the same period last year, while applications by Afghan nationals declined by only 7 percent.
As a result, Afghans accounted for a larger share of total asylum applications.
Overall, around 332,000 asylum applications were registered across the EU, Norway, and Switzerland during the first half of 2026.
France recorded the highest number, with around 69,000 applications, followed by Italy with 66,000 and Spain with 55,000.
Germany ranked fourth, with approximately 54,000 asylum applications.
Despite this, Germany remained the main destination for Afghan asylum seekers.
Figures for the 12 months ending in June 2026 show that the number of asylum applications by Afghans in Germany more than doubled compared with the previous 12-month period, rising from around 30,000 to 68,000.
The EUAA said much of this increase was driven by repeat applications from Afghan women who were already living in Europe.
The rise in applications by Afghan women followed a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union in October 2024. The court found that restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women could constitute persecution and that being a woman and an Afghan national could be sufficient factors in assessing the risk faced by an applicant.
By contrast, the number of first-time asylum applications submitted by Afghans fell by 21 percent.
High Recognition Rate for Afghan Applicants
The report also shows that Afghan asylum seekers have a relatively high likelihood of receiving international protection in Europe.
The average recognition rate for asylum applications across Europe was 31 percent, compared with 73 percent for Afghan nationals.
Germany had decided on around 36,000 Afghan cases and granted asylum or subsidiary protection in 79 percent of them.
The recognition rate for Afghan applicants was 69 percent in both France and Greece, and 64 percent in Switzerland. Austria granted protection in 82 percent of Afghan cases, while the figure for Belgium was 39 percent.
Afghans Not Covered by Fast-Track Asylum Rules
Under the EU’s new asylum and migration pact, applications from nationals of countries whose EU-wide recognition rate is 20 percent or lower are subject to a faster processing procedure.
The rules do not apply to Afghan nationals, however, because their recognition rate is significantly above that threshold, standing at 73 percent.
