Greece asylum recognition rate drops to 37% in 2026

The asylum recognition rate in Greece fell to 37% during the first eight months of 2026, down from 72% in 2024 and 58% in 2025, according to sources from the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

Even nationalities with historically high refugee profiles, such as citizens from Afghanistan and Sudan, are now seeing recognition rates below 70%. Officials attribute this decline to the immediate rejection of applications for administrative reasons, the application of individualized criteria, and the consideration of safe third countries through which applicants have traveled.

The stated goal is to further reduce the recognition rate to ensure asylum is granted only to those truly entitled to international protection. For nationalities without refugee profiles, such as those from Bangladesh, Egypt, and Pakistan, the recognition rate is below 1%. Following the implementation of the Migration Pact in June 2026, individuals without refugee profiles remain in detention pending the examination and rejection of their requests, followed by repatriation, without the right to work.