{"id":51530,"date":"2025-09-11T15:18:20","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T13:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greece-moments.com\/?p=51530"},"modified":"2026-03-12T09:31:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T08:31:35","slug":"refugees-in-greece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greece-moments.com\/en\/refugees-in-greece\/","title":{"rendered":"Refugees in Greece"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since 2008, we have been travelling around Greece together and have formed our own impression of the situation facing Refugees in Greece<\/strong>. Aid workers from all over the world have been trying for years to improve conditions for people seeking protection. Progress is slow, but you can see it.<\/p>\n

“The refugee crisis is not a Greek problem, it is a challenge for the whole of Europe.”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Fl\u00fcchtlinge
Waterfront on Kos in 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This article is based on personal impressions and our own research on the topic of Greece and refugees. We want to inform you about the situation for refugees and for local residents on the Greek islands. We do not go into the political causes of the refugee crisis or into current incidents.<\/p>\n

In Autumn 2015<\/strong>, we were in Kos and faced the situation first-hand. The harbour promenade in Kos Town felt like a tent camp. Rubbish was scattered along the shore, destroyed refugee boats and life jackets lay on the beach, and people washed themselves in the sea.<\/p>\n

\"Fl\u00fcchtlinge
Timeline of Refugee Flows in Greece (\u00a9 UNHCR Greece)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Many refugees queued outside the police station in Kos Town for registration. A year later, in September 2016<\/strong>, there was nothing left to see of it. On Kos, the situation had calmed down again. On Corfu or Santorini, there were no refugees then, and there are none now.<\/p>\n

In the years that followed, we visited Lesbos, Samos and Chios, and we have spent several weeks on Kos almost every year. Since 2020<\/strong> (very likely also linked to the pandemic), significantly fewer refugees have arrived in Greece than in some previous years.<\/p>\n

#1 Current situation of refugees in Greece<\/h2>\n

Even though the “forgotten” refugee crisis has largely disappeared from the public eye, people still reach Greece from the Turkish coast and, in some cases, from Africa. In 2025, 41,696 refugees<\/strong> arrived via the sea route to Greece, which is a decrease compared to the previous year (2024: 54,417).<\/p>\n

\u2192 Statistics Arrive Refugees in Greece<\/b>:<\/p>\n

Year: Sea route<\/em> — Land route<\/em><\/p>\n

2025: 41,696 — 7,075
\n2024: 54,417 — 7,702
\n2023: 41,561 — 7,160
\n2022: 12,758 — 6,022
\n2021: 4,331 — 4,826
\n2020: 9,714 — 5,982
\n2019: 59,726 — 14,887
\n2018: 32,494 — 18,014
\n2017: 29,718 — 6,592
\n2016: 173,450 — 3,784
\n2015: 856,723 — 4,907
\n2014: 41,038 — 2,280<\/p>\n

The current refugee situation in Greece can feel difficult to assess, and that uncertainty affects many holidaymakers. Some media outlets pick up individual reports and turn them into sensational stories before the background is clear. That often leaves little room for objectivity.<\/p>\n

Arrivals vary strongly from year to year. If you want to check the current refugee numbers in Greece<\/strong>, we recommend the data portal of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: UNHCR Report Greece<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Fluechtlinge
Refugees Arrived on the Greek Islands (\u00a9 UNHCR Greece)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Because of increasing border controls and sea patrols, some refugees take more dangerous routes to reach Europe. Especially in the southern Mediterranean between Italy and Malta, serious accidents occur at sea, and people lose their lives.<\/p>\n

\u2192 Latest Refugee News<\/strong> can be found on the Greek News Blog Keeptalkinggreece<\/a><\/p>\n

How many refugees are currently coming to Greece?<\/h3>\n

A total of 48,771 refugees reached Greece in 2025 (source: UNHCR, 31.12.2025). Of these, 41,696 people crossed to the islands by sea.<\/p>\n

About a third of people reach the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos by sea from Turkey, and since 2023 also Crete. There are as good as no refugees on other islands<\/strong>. Since 2020, refugees have gradually been relocated from the islands to the mainland while their asylum status is assessed.<\/p>\n

\"Griechische<\/p>\n

Important events in the refugee crisis<\/h3>\n

In February 2020, the European refugee crisis once again came into the public eye. On 28 February, Turkey suspended border controls<\/strong> on both land and sea. The reasons for this remain unclear, though the Syrian conflict likely played a role. The news spread quickly on social media.<\/p>\n

As a result, tens of thousands of refugees who were already in Turkey set off for the country’s external borders, partly on foot and partly by bus. In order to prevent uncontrolled immigration, Greece closed all borders to Turkey at that time.<\/p>\n

Since then, Greece’s land and sea borders have been heavily controlled. Business and tourist travel to Turkey is permitted again, and ferry traffic between the countries has resumed. Since 2021, many children and young people have been transported to safe reception centres on the Greek mainland.<\/p>\n

A new refugee camp on Lesbos<\/strong> was opened in 2022. The local government continues to call for the transfer of more refugees to the mainland and the acceleration of asylum procedures. In 2022, a number of tragic accidents occurred in the Greek Mediterranean, including around the island of Crete. In 2024, hundreds of refugees once again came ashore on Crete.<\/p>\n

In the summer of 2025, several hundred people reached the southern coasts of the island every day, including areas like Lentas, Ierapetra and Makry Gialos. By the middle of the year, almost 10,000 Refugees on Crete<\/strong> were stranded. As a result, the Greek government temporarily suspended its asylum procedure and implemented much stricter measures.<\/p>\n

#2 Refugee hotspots on Greek islands<\/h2>\n

The islands of Lesvos, Samos, Leros, Chios and Kos<\/strong> all set up refugee camps at the beginning of the refugee crisis. Some of these are new buildings, while others are former military barracks. They are often referred to as “hotspots” and served as registration centres for arriving people during the early days of the crisis.<\/p>\n

Due to new legislation, such as the refugee deal with Turkey, many refugees are not allowed to leave the Greek islands<\/strong> until their asylum status has been clarified. Islanders continue to volunteer their time to promote integration. Gradually, people are being resettled on the mainland.<\/p>\n

\"Fl\u00fcchtlingslager
Currently, refugees are still stuck on Greek islands<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Refugees on the island of Lesbos<\/h3>\n

Last visit: June 2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Lesbos, also known as Lesvos, is the third largest island in Greece<\/strong> and, with around 85,000 inhabitants, one of the most populous. Mytilene is the capital of the island and serves as a major ferry port in the Aegean Sea.<\/p>\n

\"Lesbos
Mytilene is the capital of Lesvos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Almost 500,000 refugees reached Lesbos<\/strong> in 2015 and 2016. Lesbos used to be one of the most popular Greek islands among holidaymakers, but with the beginning of the refugee crisis, tourism came to an almost complete standstill. It remains unclear exactly why such a high number of refugees arrive specifically on Lesbos.<\/p>\n

In September 2020, the original Moria camp burned down<\/strong>. This refugee camp was located seven kilometres from the capital, Mytilene. It was initially designed for just under 3,000 people, but with up to 10,000 residents at times, it was severely overcrowded. What often goes unmentioned is that there is a second refugee camp on Lesbos.<\/p>\n

\"Moria
The Moria refugee camp on Lesbos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Kara Tepe Refugee Centre<\/strong> only houses families and unaccompanied children. The conditions here are well organised, and the facility serves as a model of how an emergency shelter for refugees should actually be run. Many NGOs, associations, and residents of Lesbos do remarkable work here, though this should not obscure the difficult overall situation.<\/p>\n

Where are the refugee camps on Lesvos located?<\/em><\/p>\n