The CGRS has published the asylum figures for January 2026.
In 2025, 34,439 persons filed an application for international protection at the Immigration Office, i.e. an average of 2,870 per month. At the end of 2025, the influx was significantly lower compared to the last months of 2024. The number of applicants in November (2,257 persons) was the lowest since April 2023.
As a result, the total number of applicants decreased by 13% compared to 2024, when 39,615 persons filed an application, and by 3% compared to 2023.
Due to a strike, train availability will be limited from Sunday 25th of January from 10 PM, to Friday 30th of January (last train).
An alternative train service will be put in place in accordance with staff availability.
The SNCB recommends regularly checking their journey planner or the SNCB app, starting the day before your departure.
Given the current situation in Iran and the difficulty in obtaining sufficiently objective and recent information from the country, it is currently impossible for the CGRS to assess the current need for protection. Therefore, the CGRS has decided to formally stop taking decisions with immediate effect. Interviews that have already been scheduled, will still take place, but no new interviews will be scheduled for the time being.
The CGRS will be closed from 25 December 2025 until 1 January 2026.
On 29 and 30 December, The lawyers' helpdesk will only process requests for photocopies of case documents made by lawyers. The help desk does not open its doors. We process all requests digitally through the following e-mail address: CGRA-CGVS.Advocate@ibz.fgov.be.
Belgium has a new list of safe countries of origin. On 15 December 2025, the new “Royal Decree on safe countries of origin” of 3 December 2025 was published in the Belgian Official Gazette. This may have some specific consequences for the procedure at the CGRS and for the appeal procedure before the Council for Alien Law Litigation.
The CGRS has published the asylum figures for November 2025.
The trade unions have announced a three-day national strike on 24, 25 and 26 November. The railways will strike on 24 November, followed by public administrations the next day. There will be a national inter-professional strike on 26 November.
We therefore ask applicants, guardians, support persons and/or lawyers who are invited for a personal interview on these days to make every effort to come to the CGRS.
The CGRS has published the asylum figures for October 2025.
The CGRS will be closed exceptionally on Friday 28 November, 2025. No personal interviews will take place and the Helpdesk will be closed to visitors without an appointment. Thank you for your understanding.
From 12 June 2026, the CGRS will apply new EU rules for the asylum procedure, including mandatory recording of the personal interview, wider use of the accelerated procedure and revised rules on safe countries.
More information:
www.cgrs.be/en/changes-introduced-eu-asylum-and-migration-pact
