Since the second half of 2018, the number of applications for international protection has sharply increased. This has led to a substantial increase in the CGRS caseload. The current coronacrisis also has a significant impact.
Therefore, the CGRS is unable to process all applications in a short time. For a number of applicants, this means longer waiting times. The CGRS is aware of the stress that may result from this uncertainty.
However, the CGRS is making every effort –in spite of the current situation due to the covid epidemic– to limit waiting times during the asylum procedure and to eliminate its backlog without compromising the quality of its decisions. For the CGVS, a detailed, individual and high-quality examination of all applications is still a priority.
It will be possible to eliminate the backlog, in part thanks to the earlier recruitment of 100 extra protection officers, who have been thoroughly trained and are now fully operational.
At the end of December 2019, there were 10,362 dossiers awaiting a decision at the CGRS. At the end of July 2020, the total caseload amounted to 11,171 dossiers (13,987 persons).
No chronological processing
The CGRS is under the legal obligation to process as a priority certain types of applications, namely applications from:
- persons who lodge a subsequent application (link);
- persons who have been granted protection by another EU member state (link);
- persons in custody (link);
- persons from a safe country of origin (link).
For these applications, the number of which sharply increased in 2019, the CGRS has to take a decision in a very short time after receiving the file from the Immigration Department.
Impact of the coronacrisis
In order to curb the spreading of the coronavirus, personal interviews were discontinued on 16 March 2020. They are gradually being resumed since 8 June 2020. The health of our staff, of applicants and of other visitors is a priority at the CGRS. Additional protection measures have been taken to ensure the safety of our staff and visitors.
When restarting the personal interviews, the CGRS first focussed on applicants residing in a reception centre.
Starting in August, interviews with applicants residing at a private address will gradually be resumed as well.
However, not everyone will be invited for an interview in the immediate future. For applicants residing at a private address, waiting times will be longer.
Please do not contact us when you are waiting for an interview or a decision
We ask you not to contact the CGRS by phone or e-mail with questions about the state of a dossier or a request to accelerate a dossier. Such requests will only add to the workload of the CGRS and will not lead to an acceleration of the examination of your application. Thank you for your understanding.
We will keep you informed
Processing times are liable to vary in the future, depending on the influx of applicants and the capacity of the CGRS to examine their cases. If need be, the CGRS will update the above information on its website.