Ireland sees surge in US applications for international protection.Getty Images

94 people from the US applied for international protection in Ireland in 2025, according to Ireland's Department of Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration.

The 2025 figure is more than quadruple the number of US applications received in 2024, which was 22.

In 2023, the number was 18, and in 2022, the number was 13.

The Department did note that while all figures are correct at the time of issue, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.

While there were 94 applications made in 2025, that does not mean 94 people were granted asylum in Ireland. The Department told the Irish Times it does not provide detailed statistics on grant and refusal rates by nationality.

Meanwhile, Ireland's Central Statistics Office reported in August that in the 12 months to April 2025, estimates showed that 9,600 people moved from the US to Ireland, up from 4,900 in 2024 (+96%). Conversely, 6,100 people left Ireland to live in the US, up from 5,000 in 2024 (+22%).

International protection applications in Ireland in 2025

The 94 international protection applications from the US are a small proportion of the 13,162 total applications received in 2025, Ireland's International Protection Office said in its December 2025 report.

While the number of Americans applying for international protection in Ireland is steadily increasing, the overall number of applications made in Ireland decreased 29.1% in 2025 compared to 2024.

The nationality with the highest number of applications made in Ireland in 2025 was Somalia (2,021 or 15.4%), followed by Nigeria (1,940 or 14.7%), Pakistan (1,680 or 12.8%), Afghanistan (1,292 or 9.8%), and Georgia (925 or 7.0%).

There were 5,304 applications from other nationalities, making up 40% of the total applications in 2025.

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Reforms to Ireland's International Protection process

This week, Ireland's Minister for Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration Jim O’Callaghan received approval to publish the International Protection Bill 2026, which will replace the International Protection Act 2015.

O'Callaghan says the Bill "will streamline decisions and the returns process, introduce a new ‘border procedure’ with a three-month time limit for decisions, appeals, and return orders in appropriate cases.

“The Bill will also create a new second instance body called the Tribunal for Asylum and Returns Appeals (TARA) and allow for fewer oral appeal hearings to make the process more efficient.

“It will also establish a new Chief Inspector of Asylum Border Procedures - an independent rights monitor."

The pre-legislative scrutiny report on the General Scheme, including 92 recommendations, was published on December 1. Some recommendations have been given effect in the published Bill, and others will be considered as the Bill proceeds through the legislative process.

The Bill will now be presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas and follow the standard parliamentary process over the coming months with a view to enactment in the Spring session, so that it can become operational as required by EU law by June 12 this year.