- Around 6,000 individuals of Afghan origin wielding German citizenship reside in Hamburg.
Approximately 6,000 Afghan refugees in Hamburg hold a specific travel document, as indicated in the Senate's response to a parliamentary query from the AfD faction. As per this information, about 5,867 of these travel documents are currently in circulation. The total number of Afghans in Hamburg who hold a residence permit for various legal, humanitarian, or political reasons is around 16,000 (as of the end of 2023).
With this German passport equivalent, recognized asylum seekers can visit any nation that has signed the Geneva Refugee Convention, excluding a return to their home country. Getting a visa for Afghanistan and its neighboring country, Iran, is required for such travel.
In response to another parliamentary question from the AfD faction, the Senate reported that the Federal Police submit travel to the home country information to the immigration authority. This authority then forwards this information to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), which considers a potential loss of protection status. Regrettably, the Senate was unable to provide the frequency of such occurrences in Hamburg.
Recent discussions have arisen due to allegations of "vacation trips" by Afghan refugees to their home country. According to RTL's investigation, travel agencies in Hamburg are suspected of arranging these home visits.
The authority responsible for migration gives weight to the reports and signals contained in the aforementioned documentation, the Senate explained. It is in communication with the Federal Ministry of the Interior and is examining additional measures to prevent misuse of the refugee status and to recognize and, if necessary, penalize related situations effectively.
Hamburg's Interior Senator, Andy Grote (SPD), recently told the German Press Agency that travel to the alleged country of persecution could also challenge the protection status. If there are easily accessible travel routes to Afghanistan, there's also a chance for repatriations.
The AfD faction has urged the red-green Senate to implement immediate, extensive measures to combat the misuse of the refugee status. The authorities should conduct systematic checks on travel documents and establish a central reporting and monitoring system.
The AfD faction requested information from the Senate about the frequency of refugees traveling to their home country, particularly in the case of Afghan refugees in Hamburg, but the Senate was unable to provide specific numbers. The Commission, however, takes reports and signals from relevant documentation seriously and is working with the Federal Ministry of the Interior to prevent the misuse of refugee status and address related situations.
