Approval rate for asylum claims drops to 35 percent

Caretaker Minister David van Weel (Asylum, VVD) appeared on Goedemorgen Nederland on Friday morning to discuss his proposed repair law. According to Van Weel, parts of the legislation could take effect immediately. “That would directly ease the workload at the IND and lead to a lower influx. I’m looking forward to a swift parliamentary debate,” he said.

Over the past 12 months, only 35 percent of initial asylum applications were approved, according to the IND. A spokesperson says the decline in approval rates is due to a combination of factors. Security conditions have improved in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, meaning asylum is granted less quickly to applicants from those countries. In addition, since last year the IND has been using a different assessment approach, requiring asylum seekers to provide more evidence that they personally face danger in their country of origin.