According to the statistical office of the European Union (Eurostat), data released on Wednesday indicates several changes concerning third-country nationals at the EU’s external borders.
In 2025, 132,600 non-EU citizens were denied entry at one of the EU’s external borders. This figure represents a 7.1 percent increase compared to the 123,835 individuals recorded in 2024.
On other fronts, the number of individuals found to be illegally residing in an EU country decreased significantly. This count dropped by 21.7 percent, falling from 918,525 in 2024 to 719,395 in 2025. Meanwhile, deportation orders were issued to 491,950 non-EU citizens in 2025, marking a 5.8 percent rise from the 464,985 issued in 2024.
Following these deportation orders, 135,460 third-country nationals were repatriated to a non-EU country. This statistic shows a notable increase of 20.9 percent compared to the 112,040 repatriated in 2024. Germany reported the highest number of repatriated non-EU citizens (29,295), followed by France (14,940), and Sweden (11,250). Among the nationalities sent back to third countries, the majority hailed from Turkey (13,405), Georgia (10,475), Syria (8,370), and Albania (8,020).