Syrians' relatives to swell refugee numbers in Germany
Chase WinterJune 8, 2016
Germany can expect roughly 500,000 dependents of Syrians who have applied for asylum to arrive in the country, according to a government estimate. That number is significantly less than other forecasts.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/H. Hollemann
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Every Syrian who receives asylum in Germany will eventually bring one dependent, according averages calculated by migration experts in Berlin.
Citing an expert brief from the Federal Office of Migration and Refugees (BAMF), the daily "Süddeutsche Zeitung" reported that some 500,000 spouses, children and parents of unaccompanied minors may join Syrians who have already arrived in Germany.
Last year nearly 428,000 Syrians arrived in Germany, while another 72,000 have arrived so far this year.
The BAMF estimates fall significantly below other forecasts, some of which predicted every Syrian would eventually bring three to four family members to Germany.
The arrival of family members, however, is likely to be a drawn out affair. An asylum law that went into effect earlier this year prevents those who have received asylum in Germany from bringing family members for a two-year period.
Meanwhile, there is a significant backlog of asylum applications at German diplomatic missions in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, which together have taken in nearly 5 million refugees from Syria. Relatives of Syrians already in Germany often have to wait months for a decision at German foreign missions.
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Adding to what is likely to be a long delay for Syrian relatives wanting to join family in Germany is the backlog of applications for those already in Germany and seeking asylum.
There are still 460,000 asylum requests that still need to be processed, according to BAMF figures. And new asylum applications keep rolling in. In May alone 55,000 people, about 40 percent from Syria, applied for asylum. There are also an estimated 300,000 people in the country who have not yet filed for asylum.
Not all those asylum requests are from Syrians. They include a large portion of Afghans and Iraqis, as well as other people from Asia and Africa, not all of whom will receive asylum in Germany.
Frank-Jürgen Weise, the head of BAMF, said on Wednesday he would like to process all backlogged asylum applications by the end of the year.
BAMF: Asylum applications in Germany continue to rise
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has released the latest figures on asylum applications in Germany. April saw an increase of 2.3 percent in the number of applications filed over March.
Asylum applications steadily increase
A total of 59,680 applications for political asylum were submitted in April, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). In March, 58,315 people applied for asylum.
Image: Brian Leli
Syrians lead again
The highest number of asylum applications were submitted, once again, by Syrian nationals, who are seeking refuge from a bloody civil war in their country. In April, asylum applications by Syrian nationals stood at 25,791 which is a 7.5 percent decrease from March, when 27,878 such applications were submitted.
Image: Fotolia
Syrians most overall, too
According to BAMF, a total of 246,393 applications for political asylum were submitted across Germany from January through April. Syrians top the list, with 116,826.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/K. Nietfeld
Applications from Iraqi nationals increase
Iraqis were second, with 9,505 applications, recording a 5.8 percent increase compared with the 8,982 submitted in March.
Image: DW/R. Shirmohammadi
Afghans stood at No. 3
The month-on-month increase in asylum applications from Afghan nationals was 11.8 percent, with 8,458 applications in April compared with 7,567 a month earlier.
Image: DW/Omid
Applicants with nationality ‘unclear’
The number of applications from people whose nationality is "unclear" stood at 1,299. In March, the number of such applications stood at 1,869. Thus, month-to-month BAMF recorded a decrease of 30.5 percent.
Image: Reuters/A.Konstantinidis
44 percent more applications from Albanians
Albanians were sixth on the list, with 1,188 applications, behind Iranians, at No. 5 with 1,981. Pakistanis filed 1,038 applications, and 1,152 Eritreans appealed their cases.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/G. Shkullaku
Year-on-year comparison
In comparison with March 2015, when 24,504 applications for asylum were submitted, March 2016 saw an increase of nearly 140 percent, with 58,315 applications.