Overview of the Independent Asylum Advisory Program
The independent asylum advisory program has successfully established a nationwide network, reaching close to 71,000 individuals seeking protection in 2024. The evaluation of this initiative was released on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, by the Research Center of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The findings suggest that personalized advisory services may significantly enhance the knowledge of asylum seekers regarding their rights and the procedural aspects, potentially leading to improved processes. However, due to a lack of comprehensive data, it remains unproven whether these advisory services actually expedite procedures or result in more favorable decisions.
Since the beginning of 2023, the federal government has funded a free, individualized advisory service that operates independently of asylum authorities, primarily provided by welfare organizations. Although BAMF oversees the funding, it does not dictate the content of the advisory sessions. These professionals inform asylum seekers about the asylum process, their rights and obligations, and available legal remedies. The advisory process can commence prior to the personal hearing and continue until the legal conclusion of the case.
Impact and Recommendations for Improvement
In 2024, a total of 70,970 individuals participated in over 106,000 advisory sessions, with 189 advisory offices involved nationwide. These services were accessible at 112 locations across all 16 federal states. The usage rate of these advisory services has seen a notable increase, rising from 26.7% in the second half of 2023 among adult and unaccompanied minor asylum seekers to 40.6% in 2024. However, this still falls short of the anticipated need, which was estimated at around 60% based on legislative rationale for the program's establishment. The evaluation corroborates this figure for adults, indicating that 60.5% of the surveyed adults from refugee backgrounds expressed a need for legal advice concerning asylum and refugee issues. Nevertheless, this does not necessarily imply that all individuals in need will utilize the advisory services.
The researchers recognize that individualized advisory sessions hold significant potential for impact, as they allow for the addressing of specific questions more effectively than general information sessions. However, the existing data do not provide a reliable basis for determining whether individuals who received advice experience shorter processing times, file fewer complaints, or receive clearer and more legally sound decisions. Furthermore, the evaluation lacked qualitative feedback from asylum seekers about their experiences with the advisory services.
To enhance the efficacy of the program, the research center recommends anonymized linking of advisory and procedural data. A comparative analysis between advised and non-advised asylum seekers could reveal whether the advisory services influence the processing of cases, litigation behavior, or decisions regarding voluntary return. Sebastian Fiedler, the domestic policy spokesperson for the SPD parliamentary group, viewed the findings positively, emphasizing that individual counseling empowers asylum seekers to navigate their processes well-informed and autonomously, which could lead to better understanding and acceptance of processes and decisions.
The evaluation also identified areas for improvement concerning the timing of the advisory sessions. The law stipulates that asylum seekers should be advised as early as possible, ideally before their personal hearings at BAMF. However, many advisory offices report that they often reach asylum seekers only after they have received their asylum decisions. Although pre-hearing consultations are conducted, access before the actual application remains limited. Unlike BAMF, independent organizations do not have automatic initial contact with individuals expressing a desire to seek asylum. The evaluation recommends additional informational and promotional efforts to ensure that asylum seekers are aware of the advisory services early on.
Most advisory sessions revolve around preparing for the personal hearing, understanding the Dublin procedure, interpreting asylum decisions, or discussing potential legal actions. Interestingly, less than half of the individuals seeking advice focused specifically on preparing for their hearings. Additionally, about half of the consultations were categorized under 'other,' which may include various inquiries related to the asylum process, accommodation issues, job searches, or learning the German language. The data does not clearly indicate whether these cases were handled within the asylum advisory framework or referred to other counseling services.
Advisory professionals, sponsoring organizations, central offices, and the granting authority have generally rated the program favorably, yet they acknowledge that it is still in the development phase. Challenges were primarily attributed to delayed funding notifications from BAMF between 2023 and 2025, which forced several organizations to pre-finance operations despite lacking definitive funding commitments. Consequently, one advisory office temporarily reduced its planned positions from 1.2 to 0.2 full-time equivalents in August 2025, while another entity did not initiate its advisory activities in 2025 due to the absence of a final funding decision. These delays have reportedly led to cautious hiring practices, staff turnover, and a reluctance to pursue training opportunities. BAMF stated that expediting the approval process is a top priority, with additional staff and revised workflows planned for 2026.
Fiedler has called for securing funding through parliamentary budget legislation, stressing the importance of ensuring sustainable financing for asylum advisory services to maintain individualized support for asylum seekers.
As reported by fokus-afrika.de.
