By October 31, 2025, 1,582 asylum applications had been registered from individuals rejected at land borders since May 7, 2024, though it remains unclear whether these applications were filed at the border or after entering elsewhere in Germany.

Germany has reintroduced and extended comprehensive border controls since mid-September 2024, now set through mid-March 2026, while more than 1,500 people who were previously turned away have again applied for asylum at the border or within Germany.

The data come from a government reply to a Green Party inquiry and from EUAA, but it is not certain from the figures where the filings occurred relative to border entry.

Across the EU, Switzerland, and Norway, asylum applications fell about 23% in the first half of 2025 to roughly 399,000, with the decline largely tied to the Syrian situation after the regime collapse in December 2024.

The EUAA notes Syria as a key driver of Europe’s asylum trends, with a sharp drop in Syrian applicants following political changes in Syria.

EU law, particularly the Dublin III regulation, governs most asylum procedures, generally assigning responsibility to the destination EU member state and requiring transfers after initial assessment, while national law handles border rejections within this framework.

The article discusses ongoing debates over the legality and practicality of border rejections and emphasizes that EU frameworks shape Germany’s border handling of asylum claims.

Under Dobrindt’s policy, border rejections were tightened, with exceptions only for particularly vulnerable cases such as the seriously ill or pregnant, in line with EU principles.

Data from the Federal Foreigners Registry suggest that cases may involve reattempts at border entry or filings after entering elsewhere in Germany, though exact circumstances are not specified.