A total of 262,913 Hondurans were outside the country in 2025 in need of international protection, according to a document. Of these, 94,449 had already been recognized as refugees and 168,464 remained as asylum seekers in different countries.
The figure is equivalent to more than five times that recorded a decade ago and reflects a sustained departure of Hondurans abroad, mainly to the United States and Mexico, in search of security and better living conditions. UNHCR also noted a 22% decrease compared to the previous year.
Honduras, at the same time, recorded an increase in asylum applications from foreign citizens. Between January 1 and December 31 of last year, 716 applications were counted, a figure that quadruples previous records.
Asylum applications by foreigners in Honduras
Currently, about 270 foreign individuals have been recognized as refugees in the country. UNHCR indicated that, although the number remains below that of other nations in the region, the trend is upward.
According to UNHCR, this behavior responds to regional dynamics of human mobility, in which Honduras is beginning to play a more active role as a transit country and, in some cases, a destination.
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The UNHCR representative in Honduras, Kathryn Lo, explained that the majority of people requesting international protection in the country come from Nicaragua, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. About 270 foreign individuals were recognized as refugees in Honduras, in an upward trend noted by UNHCR.
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As detailed, in many cases these are entire families fleeing crises and violence, which has contributed to the increase in asylum applications.
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The official added that the country’s social context and the perception of hospitality by the Honduran population also influence the decision of some migrants to seek asylum in national territory.
The report notes that the simultaneous increase in Honduran departures and foreign arrivals reflects a transformation of migratory flows in Central America, where countries no longer function solely as sources of population, but also as spaces for transit and reception.
Migratory flow
UNHCR warned that this scenario poses challenges in terms of humanitarian assistance, institutional strengthening, and the protection of vulnerable people, in a regional context marked by prolonged crises and forced displacement.
About 270 foreign individuals were recognized as refugees in Honduras, in an upward trend noted by UNHCR.
For UNHCR, Honduras has become a key point within mixed migratory routes, where people who leave their countries due to violence, economic crises, or persecution converge with others who are crossing the territory bound for North America.
This behavior has forced the reinforcement of registration and assistance mechanisms at the border, as well as coordination between national institutions and humanitarian agencies.
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Human mobility specialists point out that the increase in asylum applications is also related to the greater dissemination of information on international protection rights, which has allowed more people to become aware of the legal procedures available. Added to this is the use of migrant community networks, which facilitate the arrival and guidance of new applicants within the country. Migration remains a pending task in the region.
