Developing Update · Europe — Politics: live coverage

European residency permits reach record high in 2025

According to new data reported by The Local, EU nations issued 3.9 million new residence permits to non-EU citizens last year.

By Europa Express 14 Sep 2026 · 11:00 CET Updated 14 Sep 2026 · 11:00 CET

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⚡ EXECUTIVE DISPATCH BRIEF Developing · Politics

Core Briefing: European residency permits reach record high in 2025
Strategic Context: According to new data reported by The Local, EU nations issued 3.9 million new residence permits to non-EU citizens last year.
Fact Checking & Evidence: Documented status is developing across primary accredited European reporting wires and official filings.
Editorial Integrity: Independent coverage adhering to the Europa Express European Press Standards and source verification framework.

AI disclosure: Summarised from a single named source by an AI model with editorial rules; links to the original report.

European Union countries issued a total of 3.9 million new residence permits to non-EU citizens in 2025, according to new data.

This figure represents a 10 percent increase compared to the previous year, 2024.

The data highlights that this total marks the highest level since records began, prompting questions regarding which countries issue the most permits.

Source: The Local. Read the original report ↗

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Source ledger

This brief is based on reporting by The Local.

supports: The Local ↗