Asylum Applications in Belgium
Statistics

Table 1: Applications
Year Applications Year Applications
1989 8,206 1999 35,778
1990 14,580 2000 42,691
1991 15,173 2001 25,549
1992 17,647 2002 18,805
1993 26,882 2003 16,940
1994 14,353 2004 15,357
1995 11,420 2005 15,957
1996 12,443 2006  
1997 11,788 2007  
1998 21,965 2008  

Source: Statistics Immigration Service (Federal Public Service of Home Affairs)

Table 2: Admissibility (per 31 March 2000)
Year Minister of Interior/Aliens Office General Commissioner
  Applications Admissible Inadmissible Total Appeals Admissible Inadmissible Total
1990 12,964 3,855 7,347 11,202 2,481 867 1,567 2,434
1991 15,173 5,749 11,263 17,012 5,358 725 2,241 2,966
1992 17,647 2,083 13,936 16,019 11,359 1,706 7,396 9,102
1993 28,882 1,757 23,984 25,741 19,651 2,030 10,087 12,117
1994 14,363 1,693 17,868 19,561 12,292 3,337 12,159 15,496
1995 11,420 1,063 11,763 12,826 10,208 4,029 8,128 12,157
1996 12,433 1,307 11,220 12,527 10,151 2,525 9,170 11,695
1997 11,788 1,445 8,795 10,240 6,613 2,598 6,071 8,669
1998 21,965 2,015 13,072 15,087 9,095 2,840 4,327 7,167
1999 35,778 2,345 20,337 22,682 14,051 3,038 8,346 11,384
TOTAL 192,983 27,074 142,938 170,012 102,703 24,175 70,455 94,630

The decisions made may concern applications filed prior to the year of the decision.
Source: Statistics of the Commissioner general for Refugees and Stateless Persons

Table 3: Merits (per 31 March 2000)
Year General Commissioner Refugee Appeals Commission
  Cases allowed for examination on the merits Recognition Refusal Total Appeals Recognition Refusal Total
1990 4,438 500 1,050 1,550 461 25 159 184
1991 6,494 595 1,844 2,439 764 24 342 366
1992 3,672 757 2,248 3,005 1,138 140 1,484 1,624
1993 3,887 1,025 2,775 3,800 1,481 100 1,265 1,365
1994 5,207 1,492 3,490 4,982 2,123 96 1,550 1,646
1995 5,099 1,294 2,907 4,201 1,998 112 1,412 1,524
1996 3,873 1,561 4,331 5,892 2,845 116 1,438 1,554
1997 4,052 1,714 4,235 5,949 3,080 151 3,397 3,548
1998 4,865 1,456 2,456 3,912 1,826 241 2,740 2,981
1999 5,387 1,240 1,917 3,157 1,432 260 1,581 1,841
TOTAL 51,135 12,447 28,376 40,823 17,617 1,274 15,461 16,735

The decisions made may concern applications filed prior to the year of the decision.
 Source: Statistics of the Commissioner general for Refugees and Stateless Persons

Table 4: Countries of Origin
Year Applications
1990 1. Romania (1,760)
2. Turkey (1.677)
3. Ghana (1,542)
1991 1. Romania (2,386)
2. Zaire (2,048)
3. Ghana (1,464)
1992 1. Zaire (3,794)
2. Romania (3,384)
3. India (1,036)
1993 1. Romania (5,080)
2. Zaire (4,122)
3. India (2,910)
1994 1. Zaire (2,021)
2. Romania (1,248)
3. Kosovo (840)
1995 1. Kosovo (989)
2. Zaire (975)
3. Romania (917)
1996 1. Former Yugoslavia (2,848)
2. Yugoslavia (1,802)
3. Former Soviet Union (1,755)
1997 1. Former Yugoslavia (1,774)
2. Former Soviet Union (1,375)
3. Yugoslavia (1,292)
1998 1. Former Yugoslavia (6,581)
2. Yugoslavia (6,069)
3. Former Soviet Union (2,166)
1999 1. Former Yugoslavia (13,629)
2. Yugoslavia (13,067)
3. Former Soviet Union (6,523)

Source: Statistics of the Commissioner general for Refugees and Stateless Persons


Carlier J.Y. and Saroléa, S. (eds.), Droit des étrangers et nationalité (Brussels: Larcier, 2005).

Saroléa, S., Droit d'asile. Cent questions, cent réponse (Liège: Ed. Jeunesse et Droit, 2004).

Vanheule, D., Vluchtelingen. Een overzicht (Gent: Mys & Breesch Uitgevers, 1998).

Vanheule, D., "Belgium", in Carlier, J.Y., Vanheule, D., Hullmann, K. and Peña Galiano, C. (eds), Who Is A Refugee ? A Comparative Case Law Study (Dordrecht-Boston: Kluwer Law International, 1997), 57-110.

Vanheule, D., "Belgique", in Carlier, J.Y., Vanheule, D., Hullmann, K. and Peña Galiano, C. (ed.), Qu'est-ce qu'un réfugié ? (Brussels: Bruylant, 1998), 73-130.


by Dirk Vanheule