Deze ad hoc vraag vergelijkt de bestaande wetgeving in EMN-leden en waarnemerslanden met betrekking tot het verlenen van beschermingsstatussen aan familieleden van begunstigden van internationale bescherming. Het belicht tevens recente praktijkveranderingen naar aanleiding van de regimeverandering in Syrië.

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.

The Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) is resuming the processing of applications for international protection from Syrian nationals from 1 November 2025. The suspension, in place since 9 December 2024, was implemented to gather sufficient information on the security situation in Syria.

Het Commissariaat-Generaal voor de Vluchtelingen en Staatlozen (CGVS) heeft aangekondigd dat de opschorting van de verwerking van aanvragen om internationale bescherming van Syriërs, een maatregel die sinds december 2024 van kracht is, wordt verlengd tot eind oktober 2025.

On 23 April 2025, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) announced an extension of the suspension of the processing of applications for international protection from Syrian nationals. The suspension, initially introduced on 9 December 2024, will remain in place until at least the end of July 2025.

As of 9 December 2024, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons will temporarily suspend processing cases of applicants originating from Syria. Planned personal interviews will be cancelled and assessments will be temporarily put on hold.

In its judgement delivered today, the Court of Justice has ruled that Member States are not required – under EU law – to grant a humanitarian visa to persons who wish to enter their territory with a view to applying for asylum. However, they are free to do so on the basis of their national law.  

Belgium pledged 75 million EUR to be spent on humanitarian aid in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The aid will mostly be dedicated to initiatives encouraging refugees to stay in their region of origin and providing dignified living conditions.