As of the end of 2025, Germany registered approximately 3.2 million asylum seekers in the foreign central register (AZR). This number represented 3.9 percent of the total population, marking a reduction of 2.1 percent, or 68,000 people, compared to the end of 2024, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Asylum seekers are defined by the Federal Office of Foreigners as individuals residing in Germany for international, humanitarian, or political reasons.
Among these 3.2 million individuals, the highest concentrations were found in Bremen (6.6 percent), Saarland (5.3 percent), and Berlin (5.2 percent). Conversely, the lowest proportions were seen in Brandenburg (3.0 percent), Bavaria (3.0 percent), and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (3.3 percent). When analyzed by nationality, Ukrainians remained the largest group (1.164 million), followed by Syrians (669,000) and Afghans (321,000). These three nationalities collectively constituted two-thirds (66.5 percent) of all registered asylum seekers.
The dynamics of arrivals showed significant shifts. At the close of 2025, 155,000 individuals were registered as having arrived in Germany for the first time in that year. Ukrainians again formed the largest contingent of new arrivals, accounting for 93,000 people (60.3 percent). This figure was followed by 13,000 Syrians (8.3 percent) and 13,000 Afghans (8.1 percent). On a notable trend, the statistics reported a higher number of young men and boys arriving from Ukraine (51,000) than young women and girls (43,000)-a phenomenon that has not been observed since the start of Russia’s invasion. This shift is correlated with the expiration of Germany’s general departure ban for Ukrainian men aged 18 to 22 at the end of August 2025.
Overall, the total number of first-time arrivals saw a dramatic decrease of nearly half, amounting to a drop of 134,000 people (-46.4 percent) compared to the 289,000 recorded at the end of 2024. This decline was particularly sharp for arrivals from Syria (-73.8 percent), falling to 13,000, and from Turkey (-65.0 percent), dropping to 6,000. Even the largest group, Ukrainians, saw a notable reduction of 45,000 people (-32.5 percent).
Regarding legal status, the majority of asylum seekers were granted some form of protection. As of end-2025, 83.4 percent (or 2.7 million people) held a humanitarian residence title, a figure similar to 2024. Most of these statuses were time-limited (88.1 percent). The most common basis for recognized status was temporary protection (§ 24 AufenthG), granted in the context of the Russian invasion, covering 1.09 million people (40.4 percent). This was followed by refugee status under the Geneva Convention (500,000 people, 18.5 percent), with subsidiary protection accounting for the third largest group (373,000 people, 13.8 percent).
A significant portion of the protection applicants (361,000 people) still had an outstanding status, meaning no final legal decision had been rendered regarding their protection claim. Furthermore, 178,000 people were registered with a rejected status or required to leave, of whom 140,000 were subject to temporary residency measures (“Duldung”).
Concerning the authorization of residence permits, the biggest percentage increase compared to the previous year was seen in grants for sustainable integration (+42.5 percent; an increase of 18,000, totaling 60,000 people). This grant relates to the “trial residency” status (“Chancen-Aufenthaltsrecht”), which was valid from late 2022 until the end of 2025, offering a path to residency for long-term temporary residents under specific conditions.
