Growing Number of Syrians Losing Refugee Status in Germany
Berlin, August 16 – The number of Syrians whose refugee status is being revoked by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) is gradually increasing. According to a response from the German government to a parliamentary inquiry by the Left Party, 23.2% of a total of 8,320 reviews in the first half of this year resulted in the revocation or withdrawal of protection status. In most cases, this concerned the revocation of refugee status or so-called subsidiary protection. For comparison, in 2025, only 3.7% of Syrian refugees lost their protection status after such a review, and in 2024, it was 3.1%.
When Protection Status is Revoked
A revocation occurs when the conditions for protection no longer apply. This is primarily the case when the situation in the country of origin fundamentally changes. A withdrawal is less common and applies if it is discovered retrospectively that an individual made false statements about their origin or reasons for fleeing during the asylum process.
After an Islamist-led rebel alliance advanced on the capital Damascus, President Bashar al-Assad left the country in December 2024. Following the overthrow of the long-term ruler, hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees returned to their homeland – mainly from Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan. The security situation in some areas of Syria remains tense, and there have been instances of violence between sectarian groups. Many people are dependent on humanitarian aid. In regions that were contested during the civil war, there is a lack of housing.
Expansion of Revocation Activities
Initially, the Bamf only initiated revocation reviews in cases involving criminals and so-called ‘Gefährder’ (individuals considered a threat), and in cases where authorities became aware of a return journey to Syria. As the federal government states in its response, the Federal Office began in mid-June to “successively expand revocation activities to include groups of people for whom decision-making in asylum procedures has already been extended due to the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Syria.” These groups include:
- People whose asylum procedures have been ongoing for more than 21 months, or procedures in which the Bamf is obliged to make a decision due to the success of an inaction lawsuit by an administrative court.
- People who are not particularly vulnerable and are assumed to be able to support themselves in Syria, or who have a family network or social environment that ensures adequate provision.
Due to the volatile situation after the change of power, the Bamf had temporarily suspended all decisions on asylum applications from people from Syria. Only cases involving repatriation to another EU country were processed.
Few Deportations to Syria
Even if a Syrian’s protection status is withdrawn, and they cannot secure another residence permit – for example, through employment – and naturalization is not an option, deportation is currently not likely in the short term. This is because repatriations to Syria, which in individual cases require cooperation from the Syrian transitional government and its authorities, have so far rarely occurred. The federal government and the states have a strong interest in this, especially with regard to criminals. Last year, for the first time since the civil war began, a Syrian was deported to his country of origin. In the first six months of this year, there were three deportations to Syria.
Left Party Advocates for Other Residence Options
“The situation in Syria is extremely unstable; many groups are threatened, persecuted, and displaced,” says Clara Bünger, the Left Party’s spokesperson for refugee policy. She considers forced return under these conditions to be unreasonable. The revocation procedures are a significant burden for those affected. These procedures also entail considerable effort for authorities and courts. Bünger suggests that the federal government should therefore find ways to ensure ongoing protection and residence options for Syrians who have been living in Germany for a longer period.
Fewer Asylum Applications from Syrians
The number of Syrians seeking protection in Germany has significantly decreased since Assad’s flight. From 2013 to mid-this year, a total of 978,761 people from Syria applied for asylum in Germany for the first time. In the first half of this year, only nearly 5,000 applications were registered. While almost all asylum applications were granted during the civil war years, the rejection rate was 68.6% in the first half of this year, according to the federal government.
Many Syrians work in shortage occupations. According to the Federal Employment Agency, a particularly large number of Syrians are employed in retail, temporary employment agencies, gastronomy, healthcare, and courier services.
Source: dpa-infocom, dpa:260816-930-536052/1
