Increase in Afghan asylum applications following ECJ decision

In August 2021, Germany saw a significant surge in asylum applications, with a total of 18,427 initial applications received. Among these, Afghans accounted for the largest number, with 1,968 initial applications, making Afghanistan the main country of origin for the month.

This marked a 5.9% decrease in initial asylum applications compared to July, with only 7,803 applications received. The decrease could be attributed to various factors, including changes in global migration patterns and the stabilisation of certain conflict zones.

Syria followed closely as the second most common country of origin, with 1,370 initial applications. However, it is important to note that Afghans have been the most frequent applicants this year, with a total of 104,012 asylum applications as of August 2021.

The majority of these applications, 78,246, were from people seeking protection for the first time in Germany. Follow-up applications, typically filed when there is a change in the legal situation, new evidence is presented, or the situation in the home country deteriorates, accounted for an additional 15,914 applications by Afghans.

Interestingly, Turkey came in third place on the list of main countries of origin, with 848 initial applications. However, the data does not provide information about which countries had the most foreigners trained who applied for initial asylum in Germany in August 2025, nor does it specify whether Afghanistan was among these countries.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled last October that some discriminatory measures taken by the Taliban against women in Afghanistan constitute persecution. This ruling could potentially impact the number of asylum applications from Afghan women in the future.

For the examination of an individual asylum application from Afghan women, EU member states only need to consider their nationality and gender. This means that the specific circumstances of discrimination faced by these women in their home country are a key factor in the asylum decision-making process.

As the situation in Afghanistan continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see changes in the number of asylum applications from this country. The German government and EU member states will need to carefully consider each application, ensuring the safety and protection of those seeking asylum.