Georgians lead Irish asylum claims

13:40, 02.01.2019

More people from Georgia are now claiming asylum in the Republic than from any other country in the world following a sudden spike over the past two years, The Irish Times reports.

In 2016, Georgians did not feature in the group of five nations that accounted for most asylum seekers; Syria followed by Pakistan, Albania, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.

However, Georgia was close to top of the list of countries from where most new asylum seekers had come in 2017.

Syria topped that list; with 545 of its citizens claiming asylum here. Georgians were next, with 302 making asylum applications in the Republic in 2017.

The increase in the number of Georgians claiming asylum has increased in 2018. In the first 11 months of the year 409 Georgians claimed asylum in the Republic, more than any other nation.

Emigration from Georgia had traditionally been to Russia, until 2000 when a new visa required was introduced by the Russians. Since then, Georgians have emigrated to a wider number of countries, most notably the United States and European Union member states.

Society

asylum

Georgians