Luxembourg asylum rejections double from September to October

Luxembourg rejected 97 applications for international asylum in October, almost twice as many as it turned down in September.

The Grand Duchy's immigration authorities granted asylum to nine applicants and excluded 97, up from 52 the month before.

October's rejection rates marking the second highest level recorded this year after January when 167 applications were turned down.

The figures show that new asylum applications were rising again slowly. Altogether, 126 applications were received in Luxembourg, up from 119 in September. This marks the highest number received in a month this year.

However, asylum application numbers are falling compared to rates for the same month in 2012 and 2011 when 167 and 225 applications were received respectively.

The majority of applications (36) came from Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by Montenegro (16), Macedonia (12) and Albania and Serbia (both 9).

Compared with September, the biggest rise in applications was seen from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia (up 12) and largest fall from Kosovo (down 20).

Altogether, 34 people who had been refused asylum were sent back in October. Of that number, four were forced returns.