During the first six months of 2017, 1,979 individuals requested asylum in Hungary at the transit zone between the aforementioned country and Serbia, while 321 requests were granted. Among those granted asylum were individuals from Afghanistan (117), Syria (111), Iraq (38), and Somalia (8) according to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee data. As many as 79% of asylum seekers came from war-torn countries – Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and Somalia, while 42% of asylum seekers were children, and 34% were women.
In the same time period, Hungarian authorities have taken measures aimed at 10,486 illegal migrants. In line with the legislative changes that came into force on 28 March, 2017, these measures mean that Hungarian authorities can automatically return all illegal migrants that they find within the area of 8km from the state border.
Individuals wishing to cross the border legally need to file an asylum request in Hungary, in the transit zone with Serbia. During the asylum procedure, asylum seekers await the decision in the transit zone. If they wish to leave the country, their only option is to return to Serbia. The transit zone is divided into sectors, and asylum seekers are not allowed to leave their designated sector during the asylum procedure, which can last from several weeks to several months depending on the case.