In 2021, 1,965 people decided to leave Belgium and to return to their country of origin via the assistance programme set up by Fedasil and its partners. This is a slight increase (+6%) compared to the previous year. The returns concern asylum seekers in Belgium, persons whose asylum application was rejected and migrants without a residence permit in our country.

The main countries of destination were Brazil (239 persons), Ukraine (235), El Salvador (222), Mongolia (166) and Moldavia (120). Compared to 2020, there is an increase in returns to Ukraine, El Salvador, Mongolia and Moldavia. In contrast, returns to Brazil are decreasing. More figures are available in the attached report (in French).

Just as in 2020, the organisation of the returns was disrupted by the coronavirus crisis, whether it was in Belgium or in the countries of destination. Despite this context, Fedasil and the IOM (in charge of the organisation of the journey) continue to seek solutions in consultation with the embassies.

Assistance in the return country

Among the persons who returned in 2021, 1,344 have benefited from reintegration assistance (about two people out of three) in order to build a new future in their country. The monitoring of the reintegration is ensured locally by the offices of the IOM and Caritas International, or by their local partners.

Outreach of migrants without a residence permit

Fedasil has a special team dedicated to informing migrants without a residence permit in Belgium. The 'Reach Out' team goes out to meet the stranded migrants or the transmigrants in our country and gives them information about their rights and options regarding asylum and return. The most frequent nationalities were Eritrea (36%), Sudan (11%) and Ethiopia (10%).

Return projects from Belgium benefit from European funding (AMIF funds).