Asylum Procedure – Asylverfahren

Asylum Procedure

If you left your country due to war or persecution, in Germany you have the right for asylum.

You have to apply for asylum. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in German Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge, known as BAMF, will decide about your application.

In this video you get short information about the right for asylum in Germany in different languages: www.asylindeutschland.de

If you have applied for asylum, you will receive a “Aufenthalts-Gestattung”, a temporary residence permit (also known as an “Ausweis”).

Hearing / Interview

If Germany is responsible for your asylum application, the hearing or also called interview will take place at the BAMF. This is your chance to reason your request for asylum.

The hearing is a very important and decisive appointment.

Please be well prepared for your interview. It is very important! You can write down your experiences in a chronological order and bring also some proofs, if you have some. You can also ask for a preparation meeting in a refugee consultation center.

Here you find more detailed information in different languages on the asylum procedure, your rights, the hearing and your access to education and work: bbonlink.de/asyleng

Housing

At the beginning of your asylum procedure, you will live in reception center, called “Erstaufname”. It is possible that you stay there until a decision has been made about your application, or you will be move to an other accommodation.

Unfortunately you cannot decide where you want to live in Germany. You will be sent to a specific city or village and have to live there in a apartment or another camp. You can apply for a transfer from Erstaufnahme-Camp and also from one city to another, but there are only limited reasons when you have the right to move.

Here you find more information in german and english how to get a transfer from Erstaufnahme-Camp: bbonlink.de/transfer

You can apply for moving to another city or village during your asylum application due to work, family reunion, the possibility of practising religion, permanent care of family members, taking up studies, starting education and training… but you have to proof and justify these reasons.

Letters

If you move, you must give your new address to the BAMF, the immigration authority, and possibly to the court. This is very important because letters will always be sent to the last address that you told the authorities. Please find help in understanding letters from authorities very soon, because there are important information in it and short deadlines for you to react.

Documents

In order to proof your identity in Germany to the offices, it’s better to hand in any official document you have. Passports, birth certificates, etc., are preferred. Before doing so, consult a lawyer or any other refugee consultation center. Don’t rush.