People who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, persecution, or other extreme circumstances - Date for asylum payment card disclosure remains unspecified.
The precise launch date for the statewide payment card for refugees in Lower Saxony remains undetermined. It's mainly dependent on the completion of the ongoing contractual negotiations, a representative of the Interior Ministry in Hanover informed the German Press Agency in response to a query.
We can anticipate an outcome in the summer or autumn. Once that occurs, a prompt and consistent implementation across the entire state is the objective, they added. The card's functionality should be restricted to a preset limit for withdrawals. Using the card internationally, as well as card-to-card and other in-country transfers, must also be prohibited, the representative explained. The precise amount of money refugees in Lower Saxony can withdraw with the aid of the card has yet to be disclosed.
Refugees should soon receive a fraction of the state subsidies for their living expenditures in the form of a balance on the card. There will be a decrease in cash payments for this purpose. This is also intended to prevent refugees from transferring funds to smugglers or family and friends outside the country. Both the federal government and the states have agreed to establish the payment card; some states and districts have already set it up. In Hanover, refugees without a German bank account have been utilizing a debit card for cashless transactions for quite some time.
A coalition of welfare organizations, labor unions, and the Refugee Council recently called on the state government of Lower Saxony to design the payment card in a non-discriminatory manner. The red-green government has pledged in its coalition agreement to eliminate discrimination and combat racism, noted Claire Deery, chairwoman of the Refugee Council in Lower Saxony.
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The asylum seekers and refugees in Lower Saxony, including Hanover, are anticipating the introduction of a statewide payment card for their living expenses. This decision was made by both the federal government and some states, with Hanover already using a similar debit card for cashless transactions.
The German Press Agency reported that the specific launch date for this card is yet to be announced, as it's dependent on contractual negotiations between the state and relevant parties. If the negotiations progress as expected, the card could be introduced in the summer or autumn.
Recently, a coalition of welfare organizations, labor unions, and the Refugee Council in Lower Saxony urged the state government to ensure the payment card is non-discriminatory. Claire Deery, the chairwoman of the Refugee Council, emphasized the red-green government's commitment to eliminating discrimination and combating racism in their coalition agreement.
Source: www.stern.de
