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Program paying asylum applicants to leave Germany voluntarily begins

February 02,2017 19:25

A program to pay asylum applicants in Germany to return to their home countries, often before a decision is made on their status, has launched, Deutsche Welle reports.
Administered by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the initiative aims to financially reward asylum applicants if they are willing to return to their homelands. About 40 million euros ($43 million) has been set aside for payments.
Under the multi-tier system of “StartHilfe Plus,” people with little chance of being granted asylum in Germany would be rewarded for leaving, especially if they do so before their asylum application procedure has been completed.
People older than 12 who withdraw their asylum applications before their case is decided would receive 1,200 euros. People whose applications are rejected would receive 800 euros if they agreed not to appeal the decision and instead leave Germany before the end of a given time limit.
The refugees will receive the payment in two stages. Some part of the money will be given to them before they leave Germany and the rest of the money will be transferred six months later.
The program has several restrictions in place that aim to reduce the risk of the program being abused. People from certain countries or regions, including the western Balkans, are not eligible and applicants also have to be without their own funds. Syrian citizens cannot apply.
The source reminds that more than a million refugees and migrants arrived in Germany in the past two years. According to the results of a BAMF survey, a refugee’s travel to Germany cost about 7,100 euros and took 35 days on average.

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