Waiting times for family reunification visas in Germany are getting longer, despite a pledge by the Scholz government to make the process fair and more efficient.
Those who have fled to Germany can apply to bring members of their immediate family to join them, but the process is complicated and lengthy, with some families waiting years to be reunited.
Figures from the German foreign office this week reveal that the situation has not improved. From the beginning of this year to mid-June, 4,527 visas were issued for family members of recipients of protection living in Germany. That means the rate has slowed since last year, when a total of 9,891 visas were issued.
Most family reunification visas are issued to people with subsidiary protection, a status given to those who face a serious risk of harm if they are returned to their home country, but who do not qualify for refugee status or asylum. They do not have a legal right to bring their family members to Germany: the decision is at the discretion of the authorities.
Long delays questioned
Since 2018, the number of family reunification visas that can be issued to relatives of those with subsidiary protection in Germany has been capped at 1,000 per month, but the number actually handed out has yet to reach the limit.
Read more: Family reunions in Germany in 2021 again fall short of maximum quota
The government has repeatedly been accused of failing to speed up the reunification procedure. Pro Asyl, a refugee and asylum advocacy group, has urged the new coalition to fulfil its election promises to give everyone the same rights to family reunification – whether they have subisidary protection or refugee status – and to digitize the visa system.
The left wing party, Die Linke, this week questioned the government about the long waiting times. A few months ago embassies in Islamabad and New Delhi, where many Afghan refugees are applying for family reunification visas, were giving out appointments for March 2023 and beyond, according to Die Linke.
In response to the Left’s question in Parliament, the foreign office said it was trying to keep the waiting times for family reunification visas as short as possible, and that it was also prioritizing appointments according to its national and international legal obligations to protect families and children.
With AFP