From August to December last year, Germany’s federal government approved only 150 visas for family reunification for people with subsidiary protection, far below the previous cap of 1,000 per month. The limited protection status applies to many Syrians. A policy introduced last year sharply restricted this pathway, with officials saying the move is meant to reduce pressure on local authorities responsible for housing and integrating new arrivals.

At the end of July, Germany temporarily halted family reunification for refugees with limited protection for two years. Only in what the government has described as “hardship cases” will applicants still be allowed to bring spouses, children, or, in the case of unaccompanied minors, parents, the German Press Agency (dpa) reported on Sunday (March 8).

In the new process, applications must first be reviewed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) before being forwarded to the German Foreign Office for final approval.

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Which migrants are affected?

The measure affects refugees with subsidiary protection, meaning those who cannot prove an individual threat in their home country but face general risks to life and safety. Asylum seekers and refugees covered by the Geneva Refugee Convention are not affected and can continue to bring relatives to Germany under the previous rules.

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Restrictions criticized as 'inhumane'

The federal government maintains that the temporary cutback reduces the pressure on cities and towns struggling with housing and resettlement, but has reignited debates over Germany’s migration policies and the humanitarian obligations toward refugees. Opponents of the measure argue that the policy leaves many families separated for extended periods and adds unnecessary emotional strain on refugees.

Jan Köstering, a Bundestag member and local politician in Nümbrecht in North Rhine-Westphalia, has criticized the government’s approach:

“In my municipality, I can name a dozen other measures that would provide real relief,” he said, calling the current restrictions on family reunification “inhumane.”

With dpa