Regarding longer-term trends, the number of minor first-time asylum applicants in the EU reached a peak in 2016 during the so-called “migration crisis”, before declining steadily until 2020. Following a renewed increase between 2021 and 2023, the number fell again in 2024 and 2025, reaching 158.400, its lowest level since 2020. Over the period from 2014 to 2025, nearly 2.6 million minors applied for asylum in the EU.

In 2025 specifically, minors represented almost a quarter of all first-time applicants, with a slight majority being male (55.4%). Among them, 13.3% were unaccompanied, corresponding to 3.8% of all first-time applicants. Most minor applicants originated from Asia (39.0%), followed by Africa (27.3%), the Americas (18.2%) and Europe (13.9%). The most represented citizenships were Afghan, Syrian and Venezuelan. In 2025, Germany, France and Spain were the main destination countries for minor first-time asylum applicants in terms of absolute numbers. In relative terms, however, the highest shares of minors among total applicants were recorded in Austria, Germany and Finland.

As regards asylum outcomes in 2025, a total of 229.485 decisions on applications lodged by minors were issued, including both first instance and final decisions. Overall, 119.435 minors were granted protection status, while more than 250.000 were still awaiting a decision at the end of the year. Data also indicate that minors tend to have higher recognition rates than adults and that their applications are processed relatively more quickly.

For further details, please read the press release from Eurostat.