Members' Research Service By / November 19, 2024

Child migrants: Irregular entry and asylum

Child migration takes many forms, from family reunification and moving in the hope of finding a better life to forced and traumatic migration caused by conflict, poverty or climate change.

Child migrants: Irregular entry and asylum
© weyo / Adobe Stock

Written by Györgyi Mácsai and Maria-Margarita Mentzelopoulou.

Child migration takes many forms, from family reunification and moving in the hope of finding a better life to forced and traumatic migration caused by conflict, poverty or climate change. Overall, the number of migrant children has been rising globally since the turn of the century. In 2020, there were an estimated 35.5 million international migrant children globally, the largest number ever recorded. This infographic focuses exclusively on forced and irregular movements of migrant children to the EU. According to Eurostat, on 1 January 2023 around 7.4 million children in the EU under the age of 18 did not have the citizenship of their country of residence.

Read the complete infographic on ‘Child migrants: Irregular entry and asylum‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Irregular EU border crossings
Share in 2022
Irregular EU border crossings
Irregular EU border crossings
Third-country national children found to be irregularly present in the EU in 2023, by age and gender
Third-country national children found to be irregularly present in the EU in 2023, by age and gender
Third-country nationals found to be irregularly present in the EU, 2013-2023
Third-country nationals found to be irregularly present in the EU, 2013-2023
Migrant children found to be irregularly present by Member State in 2023
Migrant children found to be irregularly present by Member State in 2023
Children effectively returned from the EU in 2023, by age and gender
Children effectively returned from the EU in 2023, by age and gender
Children ordered to leave the EU in 2023, by age and gender
Children ordered to leave the EU in 2023, by age and gender
Top 10 nationalities of children ordered to leave the EU and/or returned in 2023
Top 10 nationalities of children ordered to leave the EU and/or returned in 2023
First-time child applicants in 2023, by age and gender
First-time child applicants in 2023, by age and gender
First-time applicants, per age group
First-time applicants, per age group
Unaccompanied children applying for international protection
Unaccompanied children applying
for international protection
Unaccompanied children applying for international protection in 2023, in absolute and relative numbers
Unaccompanied children applying for international protection in 2023, in absolute and relative numbers
Unaccompanied children applying for international protection in 2023, in absolute and relative numbers
Unaccompanied children applying for international protection in 2023, in absolute and relative numbers
Number of positive first-instance decisions on applications for international protection in the EU
Number of positive first-instance decisions on applications
for international protection in the EU
Positive first-instance decisions on applications for international protection by Member State (2023)
Positive first-instance decisions on applications
for international protection by Member State (2023)
Positive final decisions on appeal or review on children's applications for international protection
Positive final decisions on appeal or review on children’s
applications for international protection
Positive final decisions on children's applications for international protection per Member State in 2023
Positive final decisions on children’s applications for international protection per Member State in 2023
Categories: Institutional and Legal Affairs, PUBLICATIONS Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Members' Research Service

The central task of the Members Research Service is to ensure that all Members of the European Parliament are provided with analysis of, and research on, policy issues relating to the European Union, in order to assist them in their parliamentary work.
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