Decision of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees

The Federal Office will notify you about the decision on your asylum application in writing (official decision – Bescheid). The official decision includes reasons for the decision as well as notice of appeals (Rechtbehelfsbelehrung), which inform you about if and how you can reconsider the decision and file an appeal.

You will receive a positive notice in case of:

  • acknowledgement of entitlement to asylum (Art. 16a para. 1 of the Basic Law), or
  • award of refugee status in accordance with the Geneva Refugee Convention (section 3 subs. 1 of the Asylum Act), or
  • award of subsidiary protection (section 4 subs. 1 of the Asylum Act), or
  • imposition of a ban on deportation (section 60 subs. 5 or 7 of the Residence Act).

A positive notice establishes a legal status. It involves a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis). Depending on the reason, the residence is initially granted for a period of one to three years.

In case of a negative notice, you will receive a demand for departure and a threat of deportation that obliges you to leave the country. If deportation is not possible, the foreigners’ registration office might temporarily issue a temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung). Duldung is a provisional document which identifies you as registered person. It is not a legal status.