Austria’s Interior Ministry (BMI) acknowledged on 29 January 2026 that a surge in asylum applications filed by Afghan women is largely driven by repeat and follow-on claims rather than new arrivals at the border. The statement comes amid political debate over rising case-loads and follows a high-profile investigative report by the newspaper Exxpress.
BMI officials link the trend to an October 2024 European Court of Justice judgment that recognises Taliban policies banning education and work for women as persecution per se. Since then, a growing number of Afghan women already residing in Austria—often with tolerated status—have lodged fresh applications in hopes of stronger protection grounds.
![Interior Ministry Confirms Spike in Afghan Women’s Asylum Claims After EuGH Ruling]()
While asylum petitions fall under a separate legal track, related mobility needs often intertwine with Austria’s broader visa system. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) helps applicants, employers and counsel monitor eligibility rules, gather required documents and secure appointments for work, study or family-reunification visas, streamlining post-status transitions.
Although total asylum numbers fell in 2025, the share of Afghan cases has jumped. Processing centres in Traiskirchen report that female claimants now account for 38 % of Afghan files, up from 12 % before the ruling. The ministry is redeploying staff from border units to inland asylum offices to clear backlogs and avoid lengthier wait times that could complicate subsequent work-permit or family-reunification filings.
Employers planning to transition Afghan staff from humanitarian status to Rot-Weiß-Rot-Plus permits should prepare for possible documentation gaps and longer verification cycles. Immigration advisers recommend compiling proof of uninterrupted residence and German-language courses early to speed the switch once asylum outcomes are decided.
BMI officials link the trend to an October 2024 European Court of Justice judgment that recognises Taliban policies banning education and work for women as persecution per se. Since then, a growing number of Afghan women already residing in Austria—often with tolerated status—have lodged fresh applications in hopes of stronger protection grounds.
While asylum petitions fall under a separate legal track, related mobility needs often intertwine with Austria’s broader visa system. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) helps applicants, employers and counsel monitor eligibility rules, gather required documents and secure appointments for work, study or family-reunification visas, streamlining post-status transitions.
Although total asylum numbers fell in 2025, the share of Afghan cases has jumped. Processing centres in Traiskirchen report that female claimants now account for 38 % of Afghan files, up from 12 % before the ruling. The ministry is redeploying staff from border units to inland asylum offices to clear backlogs and avoid lengthier wait times that could complicate subsequent work-permit or family-reunification filings.
Employers planning to transition Afghan staff from humanitarian status to Rot-Weiß-Rot-Plus permits should prepare for possible documentation gaps and longer verification cycles. Immigration advisers recommend compiling proof of uninterrupted residence and German-language courses early to speed the switch once asylum outcomes are decided.
