Statistics

Author

Nikola Kovačević

Overview of statistical practice (1)

The Asylum Office does not publish statistics on asylum applications and decisions. Basic figures based on information provided by the Asylum Office are published by UNHCR office in Serbia. Positive and negative decision rates are weighed against the total number of decisions rendered in merits in the same timeframe. Apart from the first column which is related to the number of applicants/persons in 2025, all other figures refer to the number of decisions. The total number of persons encompassed with the bellow-outlined decisions can be observed in the Asylum Office practice in 2025. Thus, one decision can encompass two or more asylum seekers. It is also important to note that decisions to discontinue asylum procedures due to absconding are still the most common decisions and that is the reason why, in relation to many nationalities, there are no in-merit decisions.

Applications and granting of protection status at first instance – top 10 nationalities: 2025^[1]

Source: Ministry of Interior – Asylum Office and of the UNHCR office in Serbia (monthly reports) and Ministry of Interior – Border Police Department’s Response to the request for the information of public importance no. 07-25/26-2, 10 March 2026 (received on 23 March 2026).

Note 1: The figure for “total” refers to all nationalities, while the breakdown is for the top 10 countries of origin with the highest numbers of the applicants.

Note 2: ‘Applicants in year’ refers to the total number of applicants, and not only to first-time applicants.

Note 3: Statistics on decisions cover the decisions taken throughout the year, regardless of whether they concern applications lodged that year or in previous years.

Note 4: Statistics on decisions rendered in merits.

Note 5: ‘Total rejections’ in this column only covers negative decisions on the merit of the application (and not inadmissibility decisions).

Note 6: Temporary residency on humanitarian grounds (‘привремени боравак из хуманитарних разлога’) can be granted for the period ranging from 6 months to 1 year, in line with the Article 61 of the Foreigners Act.

Applications and granting of protection status at first instance – top ten nationalities: rates for 2025

Source: Ministry of Interior – Asylum Office and of the UNHCR office in Serbia (monthly reports) and Ministry of Interior – Border Police Department’s Response to the request for the information of public importance no. 07-25/26-2, 10 March 2026 (received on 23 March 2026).

Note 1: These rates are calculated based on total in-merit decisions.

Note 2: These rates are calculated based on in-merit decisions only, excluding non-in-merit rejections, as well as decision on temporary residency on humanitarian grounds, as it is irrelevant for the assessment of the asylum procedure in the Serbian context.

Gender/age breakdown of the total number of persons issued with the certificate on the intention to lodge asylum application in the Republic of Serbia: 2025

Source: Ministry of Interior – Asylum Office and UNCHR office in Serbia (monthly reports)

Note: The gender breakdown (Men/Women) for asylum applicants was not provided by the Asylum Office in 2025, but only a breakdown of persons who expressed their intention to lodge asylum application, and in line with the Article 35 (11) of the Asylum and Temporary Protection Act. The Asylum Office simply does not keep such data, but it is reasonable to assume that the ratio between men and women asylum applicants is similar to the ratio of men and women issued with registration certificates.

First instance and appeal decision rates: 2025

It should be noted that, during the same year, the first instance and appeal authorities handle different caseloads. Thus, the decisions below do not necessarily concern the same applicants.

Source: Ministry of Interior – Asylum Office and of the UNHCR office in Serbia (monthly reports), Ministry of Interior – Border Police Department’s Response to the request for the information of public importance no. 07-25/26-2, 10 March 2026 (received on 23 March 2026) and Asylum Commission Response to the request for the information of public importance no. 01/26, 29 January 2026, delivered on 10 April 2026.

^[1] It is important to note that for the purpose of the 2025 Update to this report, the Asylum Office delivered copies of all decisions rendered in the period from 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025, which provided the author with the possibility to provide accurate statistical data and substantive analysis of the 2025 practice.

[2] Because humanitarian protection is not related to the asylum procedure or the Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection these figures have not been added to the figures for total decisions in 2025 and total in-merit decisions.

[3] There were no subsequent asylum applications in 2025.

[4] This number does not encompass decisions on discontinuation due to absconding which cannot be accurately determined in terms of the ratio between number of decisions and number of persons. The Asylum Office provides inaccurate data to the UNHCR office in Serbia outlining in its monthly reports that the number of decisions on absconding is identical to the number of persons. This is simply not correct since 1 decision on absconding can encompass more people (e.g. families or couples). For that reason, the methodology established by the author is to reduce the total number of persons for 30% as the approximate number of decisions – 83. Thus, the approximate number of decisions on discontinuation in this Report will be 83 decisions rendered in relation to 100 persons. A total number of all decisions related to the asylum procedure and rendered by the Asylum Office in 2025 is 170. These 170 decisions encompass 226 persons.

[5] All three decisions implied that the cases were referred back to the Asylum Office. Both appeals were upheld on the basis of the arguments outlined in the appeal of applicants and their lawyers.