Migration policy: Federal Council advocates suspension of family reunification

In principle, the Federal Council has approved a draft law of the black and red coalition for a suspension of family reunification to subsidiary protection. A proposal from the Social Committee to call the Bundestag and Federal Council’s mediation committee found no majority.

The draft law stipulates that refugees with limited protection status, to which many people from Syria belong, can no longer bring their core family to themselves for two years. So far, this was possible for minor children and spouses. In the case of unaccompanied minor, parents can currently also receive a visa for family reunification in Germany.

Contingent of 1,000 people per year

So far, there are 12,000 people a year. Because for years there has been a contingent of 1,000 visas per month for relatives of people with subsidiary protection. The draft law stipulates that visas for children, spouses and parents from this group should only be exhibited in rare hardship cases.

For those affected, this means that either the family stays separated for a long time or the family member who lives in Germany travels to be able to be with the relatives in another place. However, it also happens that desperate relatives try to get to Germany with tugs. Some refugees also manage to meet the stricter requirements for another form of family reunification in the medium term, for which one has to prove that the livelihood is secured and enough living space is available.