A total of 3,540 asylum applications were registered in the Netherlands in March, a report by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) has revealed. 

The surge in the number of asylum requests was a huge increase compared to the figures of the previous month, in which period 2,130 asylum applications were registered.

The IND revealed that the number of decisions regarding journeys related to family reunification was behind the number of new asylum requests in the country. 

“In March this year, 2,030 new applications were submitted for journeys in connection with family reunification. Even though the IND is equipped for taking a total of 620 decisions on journeys in connection with family reunification in March, decisions were taken on almost double that number of cases (1,110),” IND said in a statement. 

It explained that there was an increase last month in the number of requests for residence permits for family members including relatives when also compared to February or 4,160 compared to 3,770. 

According to the IND, despite the increase in both February and March, the number of decisions was lower than the number of applications.

“In addition, the number of residence documents issued by authorities in the Netherlands marked a notable increase since September last year, while in March 2023, there were given a total of 26,999,” it added. 

Revealing further, the IND expressed optimism that the number of applications for residence permits in the country would further increase. 

“The number of requests is expected to rise further in the following years. Moreover, this does not make the work of the IND easier. Increasingly more substantiation is needed for decisions on applications for residence permits.”

In January 2023, a total of 2,991 people sought asylum in the Netherlands, accounting for a decrease compared to December figures. 

Also in February of the same year, the number of asylum applications registered by authorities in the Netherlands was 2,823, while in March, a larger number of asylum applications was registered.

The influx in the number of asylum applications has brought additional difficulties for authorities in the Netherlands.