The majority of applicants for refugee status in Hungary have long been from the Middle East, but previously many citizens of Balkan countries also applied for international protection in Hungary. Before the 2015 refugee crisis, Kosovars were one of the most populous asylum seeker groups.
In the 2015 crisis year, the majority of applicants came from Syria and Afghanistan. In total, more than one hundred thousand asylum seekers from these two countries applied at the Hungarian authorities.
After 2016, the number of asylum seekers began to decline and the number of Syrians and Afghans also declined. Iraqis and Pakistanis have applied in larger proportions than before. In 2020, only 117 people applied for refugee status (because under the new rules, there were hardly anyone who could apply at all).