3,970 Albanians applied for asylum in the UK in 2019, according to British government statistics.
Albania ranks second in the number of asylum seekers in Britain. It is surpassed by Iran with 5,464 requests and followed by Iraq with 3,901 requests.
It ranks third in the number of rejected asylum applications, with 1,284 rejected.
But Albania ranks first in the number of requests pending a response from the British government, with 6,298 requests due to be decided on.
For 2019, 279 Albanians received refugee status, ranking Albania 7th in Britain for approving refugee applications. Only 1 Albanian received the status of special protection.
“People who apply mainly for asylum are most likely from Iran, Iraq and Albania,” the BBC wrote in an article, referring to the delay caused by the government in reviewing asylum applications.
Great Britain is one of the favourite destinations of Albanians from Albania and Kosovo to emigrate, in most cases illegally.
Exit News spoke to a source that consults with the Home Office on asylum cases from Albania. They said common reasons for seeking asylum include political persecution, blood feuds, and LGBTIQ+ individuals who fear for their safety. There are also cases where victims of human trafficking apply for asylum fearing that a return to Albania could result in them becoming victimised again.
