Europe is stepping up the deportation of migrants: here’s what you need to know

Whilst the influx of refugees into Europe has fallen to a minimum, the number of actual deportations is reaching record levels. EU countries are tightening their border controls, issuing hundreds of thousands of removal orders and sending people back. Find out which countries deport the most foreign nationals and why they are being turned away at the border

Legal assistance on migration issues for Ukrainians in Ukraine and abroad

GET

Europe has taken a serious approach to tackling the migration issue. The flow of irregular migrants is decreasing, whilst the number of deportations is, conversely, on the rise. The EU is clearly delivering on its promises to tighten border controls. Euronews reports on this.

Why are there fewer migrants in Europe?

The figures speak for themselves: since 2022, the number of new arrivals has fallen by 24% (to 4.5 million in 2024). In 2025, only 361,000 people were granted asylum — the lowest figure since 2019.

European Commissioner Magnus Brunner attributes this to a major reform. Europe is currently implementing a modern system for controlling entry and exit, and is also negotiating with other countries to intercept irregular migrants before they even reach EU territory.

From which EU countries are people most frequently deported?

Ordering someone to leave and actually deporting them are two different things. For example, France issues the most documents ordering people to leave the country (138,000 in 2025). Spain and the Netherlands have also issued tens of thousands of such orders. But most migrants with these documents in hand do not leave.

In reality, Germany is the most active in deportations: around 30,000 people actually deported per year. It is followed by France (almost 15,000) and Sweden (over 11,000). In total, 155,000 people were forcibly removed from Europe in a year — the highest figure in the last five years.

Why aren’t they deporting everyone? It’s simple: often the authorities cannot prove exactly where a person came from. Deportation is also cancelled due to the detainees’ illnesses or in the case of unaccompanied minors.

Don't want to miss important updates and useful articles? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

Who is being deported from Europe?

If we look at the passports of those sent home in 2025, Turkish citizens top the list (over 13,000 people). They are followed on the deportation lists by Georgians, Syrians and Albanians.

At the same time, checks have become stricter directly at border crossings. In 2025, 133,000 people failed passport control. Poland proved to be the strictest, turning back almost 30,000 visitors, with France in second place.

Most often (in almost a third of cases), entry is refused simply because the person cannot explain the purpose of their trip or prove that they have somewhere to stay and enough money to live on. Many are turned back because they have already exceeded their limit for staying in Europe (the same 90 days). The rest are refused entry due to expired or missing visas, or if they are already listed in databases as offenders.

However, if a foreigner makes a habit of breaking the rules, refuses to pay fines, receives court sentences for traffic offences, or deliberately disrupts public order for the sake of social media hype — the risk of deportation becomes very real.

Reminder! We reported that information had spread online about the alleged deportation of Ukrainians from Poland for traffic offences. Find out whether this is true and for which specific traffic offences Ukrainians actually face deportation.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance - insurance for a safe stay abroad without unnecessary expenses;

Green Card - compulsory car insurance for traveling abroad;

Visit Ukraine Tickets - book tickets for buses, trains, and airplanes to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world;

Private Lawyer service - professional legal support on visa and migration issues;

Visit Ukraine Merch - buy patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

© 2018-2026, Visit Ukraine. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit Ukraine.

All rights reserved.