Number of Georgian asylum seekers in EU on the rise
Number of Georgian asylum seekers in EU on the rise
In the first half of 2022, 11,850 Georgians applied for asylum in the EU and Schengen area, according to updated data from the European Union Statistical Office (EUROSTAT).
The destinations are Germany (3845 applications), France (3425 applications) and Italy (1415 applications). Significant growth was also observed in Ireland (760 applications).
The number of asylum seekers was growing rapidly even before the pandemic, with 8,775 Georgians applying for asylum in the Schengen area in 2016; by 2019, that figure had risen to 22,765.
Stats by year and number of applicants:
2016 – 8,775 applications;
2017 – 12,060 applications;
2018 – 20,950 applications;
2019 – 22,765 applications;
2020 – 8,095 applications;
2021 – 14,970 applications;
2022 (January-June) – 11,580 applications.
In September 2020, the Georgian parliament adopted a bill allowing border police to decide whether to let Georgian citizens out of the country and into the Schengen zone or not.
On January 1, 2021, police began checking the documents of those traveling to the European Union for compliance with several criteria; for any violation, the traveler would not be allowed to cross:
● If a person is denied entry to any EU/Schengen country and the Georgian border control is aware of this fact;
● There are fewer than three months before the biometric passport expires;
● Does not have a return ticket to Georgia, a ticket reservation, a document confirming the right to reside in a Schengen country, or the consent of the host;
● Does not have health insurance;
● Will not confirm that they have sufficient funds to cover all aspects of the journey.
Number of Georgian asylum seekers in EU on the rise
