Eligibility for asylum

You will receive an international travel document for refugees. Other designations are GRP passport, blue passport, convention passport and refugee passport.

This is approved as a passport substitute and is therefore a valid travel document with which you may also stay in other countries, with the exception of your country of origin, under the applicable conditions.

Important! If you have not received your passport back or if it is no longer valid for other reasons, we strongly advise you not to apply for a new one at the embassy of your country of origin.

It is unreasonable and even harmful for persons entitled to asylum to accept or renew a home country passport. If you voluntarily accept a national passport, your refugee status expires. You will lose your refugee status.

You are entitled to take part in an integration course.

As soon as you have your residence permit, you should look for your own accommodation and the Jobcenter (in Jena the Eigenbetrieb Jenarbeit) will cover the cost of the rent, provided it is reasonable and you have little or no income.

If you were recognized on 01.01.2016 or later, you will be subject to a residence regulation for a period of 3 years and, if applicable, a residence requirement. These can only be lifted under the generally applicable conditions.

You can find more information about your access to work,training or studies at in the relevant section.

Your residence permit entitles you to benefits from the statutory health insurance funds.

If you have an employment relationship subject to social insurance contributions, you are covered by statutory health insurance and are entitled to all benefits.

If you receive social benefits to secure your livelihood, you are also entitled to all statutory health insurance benefits. In both cases, you will receive a health insurance card, which you must show every time you visit a doctor.

You can find general information on family reunification and reunification with a family member who is living in Germany as a person entitled to asylum in the Family section.

If you have been granted a form of protection or an obstacle to deportation, you can receive basic security benefits for jobseekers. Basic security benefits for old age and reduced earning capacity are also possible.

Information on the type of these benefits and other possible support can be found in the Life section.

Your residence permit can be extended if you submit an application in good time, at least 8 weeks before the expiration date.

The reason for your stay must still exist. The same documents are required for the application at the Foreigners' Registration Office as for the initial application.

If you submit the application on time, you will be issued a fictitious certificate. This secures your residence while a decision is made on the issue or extension of the residence permit.

The fictitious certificate has the same status as your previous residence permit with all the associated rights and obligations.

If the subsequent application is not submitted in good time before the deadline expires, you will only be granted a tolerated stay until a new decision is made.

After 3 years you can apply for a settlement permit or after 5 years for an EU permanent residence permit if you meet the necessary requirements.

You are generally obliged to comply with the provisions attached to the issue of your residence permit and to comply with requests for assistance.

You must report any changes in your personal circumstances to all relevant authorities immediately. If you fail to do so, any benefits you have wrongly received will be reclaimed from you and current benefits may be reduced.

Furthermore, you must comply with the same obligations as all other German residents.

If you have been recognized as eligible for asylum under the Basic Law, you will be granted all refugee status and maximum protection. An appeal is unnecessary.