Minister Van Bossuyt travels to Cameroon to discourage irregular migration: “Belgium is no migration paradise”

Cameroon is one of the main countries of origin for asylum seekers in Belgium, even though almost nine in ten Cameroonian applicants are not granted international protection. Cameroon also tops the list of non-EU countries applying for student visas, amid serious concerns about fraud and abuse. Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt is therefore travelling to Cameroon to discourage irregular migration, tackle the misuse of student visas and strengthen cooperation on returns.

Shattering false expectations

Cameroon currently accounts for more student visa applications to Belgium than any other country, representing one in five applications. Yet no fewer than four in five are rejected.

“Many young people leave with an idealised image of Belgium, unaware of just how expensive life here is. Some spend their entire savings on a journey that ends in poverty, academic failure and, ultimately, irregular residence. We want to dispel those illusions,” Van Bossuyt explains.

Tackling student visa abuse

The Immigration Office has also been uncovering abuses for years. These include forged documents and fraudulent financial guarantees, with individuals sometimes accepting payment to act as guarantors for dozens of students at once. The Immigration Office also suspects organised networks are involved.

“Those who abuse student status undermine the credibility of the system and put genuine students who want to study in Belgium at a disadvantage. We intend to tackle this much more firmly,” says Van Bossuyt.

The government has already increased the financial resources international students must demonstrate and is working on further restrictions. For example, guarantors will face stricter residence requirements and will only be allowed to sponsor one student. Students will also be required to pursue a full-fledged programme of study.

Nearly nine in ten asylum applications rejected

Alongside the problems surrounding student visas, the minister will also raise the high number of asylum applications from Cameroon. As of October 2026, the international protection recognition rate for Cameroonian asylum seekers stands at just 13.4%. This means that roughly nine in ten are not granted international protection.

“People smugglers sell dreams, but the reality is often very different. Today, almost nine in ten Cameroonian asylum seekers are not granted international protection. Those who come solely for economic reasons will not qualify. We want people to understand that reality before they risk their money and their lives. Anyone without the right to remain will have to return,” says Van Bossuyt.

Deterrence that delivers results

Following Minister Van Bossuyt's earlier deterrence missions to Moldova and Congo, asylum applications from both countries declined.

For Moldova, the monthly average fell from 87 to 55 in 2025 and dropped further to 34 in 2026. As a result, the country fell from tenth to fifteenth place in the ranking of asylum seekers' countries of origin.

For Congo, the monthly average fell from 149 to 97, moving the country from fourth to fifth place in the ranking. These figures underline the importance of stricter migration rules, cooperation and deterrence.