German Interior Ministry: Refugees who travel to their homeland will have their residency revoked

Immigrants in Germany who travel to their home country, even for a short visit, may lose their right to asylum upon return, as the reason for asylum and the right to protection would then be invalidated.

According to asylum law, if an asylum seeker travels to a country where they are being persecuted during the processing of their application, their asylum application in Germany will be invalidated.

This was stated by Johannes Dimroth, a spokesman for the Federal Interior Ministry, in Berlin on Friday. He said that such a trip would have a very decisive consequence for the person in question.

A spokesman for the German Interior Ministry explained that this is understandable, because the refugee loses his credibility and integrity if he is being persecuted. If he temporarily visits his homeland of his own accord, for example for a holiday, he is no longer protected in Germany.

Johannes Dimrot added that in individual cases, those who have been accepted here as migrants or refugees may also have their positive decision on their residence revoked or declared invalid, and thus they may lose their right to asylum.

The Heilbronner Stieme and Mannheimer Morgen newspapers reported on Thursday that the statements were made because the state of Baden-Württemberg has registered the names of 100 migrants who are said to have traveled to and returned from their home countries several times since 2014, while still retaining their right to asylum as asylum seekers.

Meanwhile, Aidan Ozogutz, the German federal government's integration affairs chief, has shown some understanding of such trips, telling the Funke media group newspaper: "There may be important reasons for an accepted refugee to travel to his or her country of origin for a short time."

As an exceptional possible case, for example, the death of a refugee's close relatives is valid in this regard.

The German Interior Ministry does not know exactly how many migrants have made such temporary trips from Germany to their home countries. But Interior Ministry spokesman Dimrot explained that the figures are collected by the states, but the specific cases are well known.

Source: Panah