Can I seek asylum in Europe?

Refugees entering Europe are subject to follow the laws in place by the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). Upon arrival in an EU Member State, individuals and families seeking refugee status are subjected to a comprehensive assessment of their life in their country of origin.

Do you have to be in a country to claim asylum?

4. There is no legal requirement for a refugee to claim asylum in any particular country. Neither the 1951 Refugee Convention nor EU law requires a refugee to claim asylum in one country rather than another. There is no rule requiring refugees to claim in the first safe country in which they arrive.

Which European countries take the most asylum seekers?

Number of asylum-seekers granted asylum in European countries in 2020. In 2020 Germany had the highest number of accepted asylum seekers in Europe at over 128 thousand people, followed by Spain and France at 124 thousand 86 thousand respectively.

Where are the most refugees in Europe?

According to UNHCR data, the total number of our people of concern in Europe has reduced by some 100,000 between 2019 and 2020. Of the 12 million people of concern to UNHCR in Europe, nearly one third live in Turkey, which remains the largest refugee-hosting country with 3.7 million refugees.

Which European country is best for asylum?

Germany
Germany remains the top destination for people seeking protection in Europe, with the number of asylum applications filed in the country already exceeding the 100,000 mark in 2021.

Do all those arriving in Europe choose to claim asylum?

Although not all of those arriving in Europe choose to claim asylum, many do. Germany received the highest number of new asylum applications in 2015, with more than 476,000.

Can a country send an asylum-seeker back to another country?

From the perspective of the country where someone is seeking asylum, their obligation is a negative one: not to violate the human rights of the refugee. So a country is prohibited under international law from sending an asylum-seeker back to anywhere he or she might be persecuted (something called refoulement ).

Are countries legally obliged to take in refugees?

Countries are legally obligated to consider asylum claims. It may not be the fault of one country that a terrible crisis is happening in another country. But countries are obligated to take in people fleeing persecution regardless of whether that country had anything to do with it.

What does Amnesty International do for refugees and asylum seekers?

Amnesty has championed the human rights of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants for decades. We campaign to make sure governments honour their shared responsibility to protect the rights of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants. We condemn any policies and practices that undermine the rights of people on the move.