Austria records lowest number of first-time asylum applications in a decade

Austria's Interior Ministry has reported a record drop in first-time asylum applications in July 2026, with only 244 applications submitted—the lowest monthly figure in a decade.

In an official statement on Tuesday, the ministry said this represents a 65% decrease compared to July 2025, which saw 697 applications. From January to July 2026, total asylum requests—including follow-up applications—fell to 5,743, down from 10,442 during the same period in 2025.

A temporary suspension of family reunification procedures contributed to the decline, with just 60 entries through this route—limited to urgent humanitarian cases—compared to 853 in the same period last year.

Syrian nationals topped the list of applicants in July, accounting for 267 applications (including repeat submissions), most of which were for children born in Austria.

The ministry also noted that "the number of people who left the country since the start of 2026 has exceeded the total number of first-time asylum applications registered during the same period."