During the initial half of 2023, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) experienced a cumulative influx of 20,122 asylum applications, encompassing both initial and repeated applications as well as those seeking family reunification.
According to the same source, this figure represents a slight increase compared to the corresponding period in 2022, which witnessed 19,956 applications, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
In June 2022, there was a significant rise in the number of asylum applications, reaching a total of 4,020, compared to the preceding month of May, which recorded 3,597 applications. Concurrently, the number of pending asylum applications continued to grow, with June’s figure in the general asylum procedure reaching 36,870.
Furthermore, although to a lesser degree, there was also an upsurge in the number of pending applications for a regular family and family residence permit. In June of this year, the number of applications for this specific permit surpassed the figures from previous months, totalling 4,180.
Additionally, in the field of Knowledge and Talent, there was an increase in applications during the same period, reaching a total of 2,580.
Based on the monthly data from the IND, there are noticeable peaks in the number of first-time asylum applications within the general asylum procedure during the months of March and June.
As a result, in March, asylum applications were recorded from third-country nationals holding temporary Ukrainian residence permits who originated from a safe country, as well as individuals from Syria and Yemen. These individuals sought protection and asylum in the Netherlands.
In June, the IND registered asylum applications from another group of third-country nationals holding temporary Ukrainian residence permits. These individuals, whose temporary protection under the Temporary Protection Directive (RTB) will expire on September 4, 2023, have the option to continue their asylum application in order to secure their stay in the Netherlands.
Moreover, third-country nationals who choose not to apply for asylum will be required to leave the Netherlands after September 4, 2023, when their temporary protection status expires.
Although the IND is making efforts to process a larger number of cases than initially planned, the backlog of pending applications continues to grow each month. This is especially notable in the case of asylum applications, which currently amount to 36,870, as well as applications for family reunification, totalling 21,990.
Despite the IND’s increased decision-making capacity, the rising number of outstanding applications suggests that the pace of processing is unable to keep up with the incoming volume. Consequently, the average waiting time for a decision from the IND, particularly for applicants in the General Asylum Procedure, has now exceeded one year.
The asylum trends indicate a notable increase in the number of unaccompanied minor children who have submitted asylum applications during the past six months, totalling 1,852. This figure surpasses the corresponding period in 2022, which recorded 1,198 applications.
The process of issuing residence documents and conducting biometric procedures at IND desks has undergone improvements in terms of appointment availability and efficiency. However, the number of appointments for the past month remained relatively stable compared to the previous month, customers can now experience faster service at the counters.
As the IND explains, it is typically possible to secure an appointment within three days, a significant improvement from earlier this year when the wait time ranged from ten days to two weeks.