Publication date: 07 March 2025
This ad hoc query examines the voluntary return procedures for Ukrainian nationals granted temporary protection in EU Member States, focusing on the support provided for their return and reintegration. The aim is to understand the various national approaches to facilitating voluntary returns, including whether reintegration assistance is offered and how these programmes are funded.
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Main theme: Temporary protection, Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: beneficiary of temporary protection, voluntary return, reintegration, Ukraine
Publication date: 21 June 2024
In its 2023 Annual Report, Fedasil reviews the key events of the year and provides an overview of the reception network for international protection applicants, the resettlement of refugees, and voluntary returns. The report also presents key statistics that offer valuable insights into these areas, helping to illustrate both the challenges faced and the progress made.
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Main theme: Reception
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: annual report, Fedasil, reception capacity, resettlement, voluntary return, reintegration assistance
Publication date: 26 October 2022
Are the Member States providing any support measures to Ukrainian citizens wishing to go back to Ukraine on a voluntary basis? This ad hoc query launched by Estonia examines the current measures as well as possible plans, including to develop long-term support measures/programs for Ukrainians who wish to voluntarily go back to Ukraine.
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Main theme: Temporary protection
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: voluntary return, Ukraine
Publication date: 10 May 2016
What image do irregular migrants and their representatives have of voluntary return? Is voluntary return well-known? These topics are the focus of a study carried out by the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL).
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Main theme: Irregular Migration, Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Study
Keywords: voluntary return
Publication date: 03 November 2015
This EMN Inform summarises the main findings of the EMN Study "Dissemination of Information on Voluntary Return: how to reach irregular migrants not in contact with the authorities".
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Main theme: Irregular Migration, Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: voluntary return
Publication date: 17 September 2015
This EMN study analyses and compares the different approaches used by Member States to ensure irregular migrants are informed of options for return.
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Main theme: Irregular Migration, Return & Readmission
Publication Type: EMN Reports & Studies
Keywords: voluntary return
Publication date: 01 January 2015
This EMN Inform provides information concerning EMN national Contact Points’ practices on return and reintegration to Western Africa.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: assistance, reintegration programmes, voluntary return
Publication date: 01 October 2014
The REG Directory “Connecting Return Experts across Europe” gives an overview of the programmes across Europe to support return and reintegration in third countries.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: EMN Reports & Studies
Keywords: reintegration programmes, voluntary return
Publication date: 19 November 2013
This EMN Inform provides an overview of current aspects of return in EU Schengen Member States and Norway, including statistics.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: forced return, return directive, voluntary return
Publication date: 29 February 2012
The Belgian Federal Agency for Reception of Asylum Seekers presents the statistics of voluntary returns performed from Belgium in 2011.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission, Data & Statistics
Keywords: migration statistics, voluntary return
Publication date:
Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Belgium has granted more than 101.500 temporary protection certificates to people fleeing the conflict. Today, around 70.600 of these displaced Ukrainians remain in the country. While the temporary protection scheme has been extended until March 2027, uncertainty remains over what will happen afterwards, raising questions for both the authorities and Ukrainian beneficiaries.
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Main theme: Temporary protection
Keywords: beneficiary of temporary protection, accommodation, transition, legal status, voluntary return, reintegration
Publication date:
On 19 February 2026, EMN Belgium attended a Mutual Learning Seminar organised by ECRE (European Council on Refugees and Exiles) within the framework of the INNOVATE project, supported by EU funding under the Horizon 2020 programme.Held in Brussels, the seminar brought together experts, civil society representatives and policymakers to assess the state of preparedness across EU Member States for transitioning out of temporary protection under the Temporary Protection Directive, currently extended until March 2027.
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Main theme: Temporary protection
Keywords: beneficiary of temporary protection, transition, legal status, voluntary return, reintegration
Publication date:
On 3 February 2026, Fedasil published its statistics on voluntary returns for 2025. A total of 3.122 people chose to return to their country of origin. The number is slightly lower than in 2024 but higher than in 2023. The top destination countries include Brazil, Moldova, Syria, Colombia, and Turkey.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return, reintegration assistance
Publication date:
Myria, the Federal Migration Centre, has published a new thematic booklet as part of its annual report "Migration in figures and rights 2025". The publication presents recent figures on return, detention and removal, while analysing major legislative developments in Belgian return policy. It also examines the situation of detainees without legal residence in Belgian prisons and reviews the creation of the National Preventive Mechanism against ill-treatment in detention. According to Myria, return indicators have continued to rise after the pandemic, while new laws significantly expand the use of control and coercive measures.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: return policy, detention, voluntary return, forced return, National Preventive Mechanism, Convention against Torture
Publication date:
Belgium has confirmed its participation in an exploratory administrative mission to Afghanistan, representing 20 European Union Member States. The announcement was made by Minister of Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt. The mission, organised by the European Commission, aimed to establish technical administrative contacts with Afghan authorities. The initiative has drawn attention from refugee organisations, which have expressed concern about engagement with the Taliban regime.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return, forced return, illegally staying person, Afghanistan, identification, criminal foreigner
Publication date:
During the informal European Justice and Home Affairs Council in Cyprus on 22 January 2026, Minister of Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt announced targeted measures to encourage the voluntary return of Syrian nationals. The plan includes enhanced reintegration assistance for Syrians choosing to return to their country, while continuing to implement forced returns for non-cooperating individuals in general, prioritising those irregularly staying in Belgium with criminal convictions.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return, reintegration assistance, Syria
Publication date:
On 16 October 2025, twenty EU Member States signed a joint letter urging the European Commission to take coordinated steps to enable voluntary and forced return to Afghanistan. The initiative, led by Belgian Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt, calls for a coherent European approach to address cases of Afghan nationals residing irregularly in the EU, particularly those posing a threat to public order or national security. The signatories stress that credible migration policies require effective return mechanisms and call for tangible progress by the end of the year.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: Afghanistan, voluntary return, forced return, public order, national security
Publication date:
The Council of the European Union has adopted a recommendation outlining a common framework for the gradual transition of displaced Ukrainians out of temporary protection. The measures aim to support sustainable return and reintegration in Ukraine when conditions allow, while also facilitating access to other residence statuses for those eligible. The recommendation provides guidance on voluntary return, reintegration support and information systems for displaced persons.
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Main theme: Temporary protection, Return & Readmission
Keywords: displaced person, Ukraine, residence permit, voluntary return, reintegration
Publication date:
Fedasil is organising an exhibition on voluntary return and reintegration at the Wintercircus. The Ghent-based Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer portrays the stories of, among others, Rosa from El Salvador and Igis from Albania. This exhibition is organised in collaboration with Caritas International and the International Organization for Migration, with the support of AMIF.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return, reintegration, photo, exhibition
Publication date:
On 4 June 2025, the European Commission proposed extending temporary protection for displaced persons fleeing the conflict in Ukraine until 4 March 2027. The proposal aims to provide legal certainty to beneficiaries and Member States by maintaining a consistent standard of protection across the European Union. Additionally, the Commission proposed a set of measures to facilitate a coordinated transition out of temporary protection.
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Main theme: Temporary protection
Keywords: Ukraine, displaced person, beneficiary of temporary protection, legal status, voluntary return, reintegration
Publication date:
According to recent data released by Eurostat, 124.935 non-EU citizens were ordered to leave an EU country, and 28.630 persons were returned to third countries following an order to leave. When compared with the same quarter of 2023, the number of non-EU citizens ordered to leave went up by 16.3%, while the number of people returned to third countries increased by 24.3%.
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Main theme: Data & Statistics
Keywords: order to leave the territory, voluntary return, forced return, irregularly staying third-country national
Publication date:
In 2024, Belgium saw a notable increase in the number of individuals choosing voluntary return to their country of origin. According to Fedasil’s press release from 3 February 2024, the total number of individuals opting for voluntary return rose by 11% compared to the previous year.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return
Publication date:
The 2024 national conference of EMN Finland shall examine the state of play as well as the future prospects of the situation of Ukrainians in Finland and in EU countries. The conference aims to address the challenges of integration in a situation where beneficiaries of temporary protection find themselves between two countries. The conference seeks to support these persons in the limbo between integration and return.
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Main theme: Integration, Temporary protection, Return & Readmission
Keywords: beneficiary of temporary protection, Ukraine, legal status, voluntary return
Publication date:
The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor signed today an agreement with the Senegalese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Annette Seck. Belgium and Senegal agreed to cooperate on the return of irregularly staying Senegalese nationals and on legal migration.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: voluntary return, legal migration, circular migration
Publication date:
In 2022, 2,673 persons voluntarily returned to their country of origin. The number is higher than before the corona period, when 2,426 persons returned voluntarily in 2019.