Belgium’s Office of the General Commissioner for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) will begin processing cases for Russian citizens seeking international protection starting February 19. This comes after a temporary suspension of processing applications for Russian citizens. The CGRS evaluates whether applicants require international protection according to law and international treaties about refugees and protection.
For Russian citizens seeking to travel to Belgium, requirements include a passport valid for at least six months beyond the intended stay and proof of onward travel from Belgium.
In 2023, the Immigration Office (IO) in Belgium received a total of 35,507 applications for international protection, including 284 individuals who arrived in Belgium as part of resettlement efforts. This marks a slight decrease from the previous year. Monthly application numbers fluctuated throughout the year, with the first seven months consistently below 3,000 applicants, followed by a steady increase from July to December, reaching a peak of 3,740 applicants in October.
On average, 2,959 applicants were registered per month in 2023, compared to 3,073 in 2022. A total of 67.6 per cent of applicants were male, with certain countries like Afghanistan exhibiting even higher proportions of male applicants (89 per cent). The main countries of origin for applicants in 2023 were Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine, Turkey, and Eritrea.
In addition, 5,918 individuals filed subsequent applications for international protection in 2023, representing an increase in subsequent applications compared to the previous year. Countries such as Afghanistan and Moldova maintained significantly high proportions of subsequent applications.
The Immigration Office recorded 2,594 applications for international protection from unaccompanied foreign minors in 2023, marking a notable decrease of 32.7 per cent compared to 2022. Among those who declared themselves as unaccompanied foreign minors, a majority of 87 per cent were boys. The top three countries of origin for these minors were Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Syria.
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