What can I do when I receive the asylum decision?

• For more information, click on the small numbers.²Example

• You usually receive the decision 6-12 months after submitting your asylum application.³The decision is also known as a “Bescheid” (official notice). Find more information on the asylum process here. You usually receive the decision in a yellow envelope.⁴Letters sent by “formal delivery” usually come in a yellow envelope. The letter will include the word “Bescheid” (official notice).
• If you agree with the decision, your asylum procedure is complete. If not, you can take legal action.⁵This must happen within a short period (see step 4).

Look on the first page of the letter for the type of decision:

• Flüchtlingseigenschaft (Refugee Status) or Asylberechtigung (Asylum Status)⁶The decision might state: “Flüchtlingseigenschaft wird zuerkannt, Asylanerkennung wird abgelehnt” (Refugee status is granted, asylum status is denied) or “Flüchtlingseigenschaft wird zuerkannt, Asylberechtigung wird anerkannt” (Refugee status is granted, asylum status is recognized.) (good status):
  
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  • Flüchtlingseigenschaft or Asylberechtigung⁷Flüchtlingseigenschaft (more information) and Asylberechtigung (more information) are two statuses with different legal reference, but they offer the same rights and opportunities. In most cases, there is no difference for you. is given to people who are persecuted in their home country.⁸Due to their ethnicity, religion, nationality, political beliefs, or membership in a particular social group.
  • You will receive a residence permit for 3 years. It will be extended if the situation in your home country does not change.
  • You can apply more easily for a permanent residence permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) later.
  • You will receive a travel document for refugees (Reiseausweis für Flüchtlinge).
  • You can work or do vocational training (Ausbildung).
  • You can apply for family reunification.⁹Perhaps no income is necessary.
• Subsidiärer Schutz (Subsidiary Protection)¹⁰The decision might state: “Flüchtlingseigenschaft wird nicht zuerkannt, Asylanerkennung wird abgelehnt, subsidiärer Schutz wird zuerkannt” (Refugee status is not granted, asylum status is denied, subsidiary protection is granted.) (medium status):
  
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  • Subsidiärer Schutz is given to people who are in danger in their home country, for example because of war.¹¹Subsidiärer Schutz is often given to people from Syria (more information).
  • You will receive a residence permit for 3 years. It will be extended if the situation in your home country does not change.
  • You can work or do vocational training (Ausbildung).
  • You can perhaps apply for family reunification.¹²Income may be required.
• Abschiebungsverbot (Prohibition of deportation)¹³The decision might state: “Flüchtlingseigenschaft wird nicht zuerkannt, Asylanerkennung wird abgelehnt, subsidiärer Schutz wird nicht zuerkannt, Abschiebungsverbote nach §60 liegen vor” (Refugee status is not granted, asylum status is denied, subsidiary protection is not granted, but a prohibition of deportation according to §60 applies.) (medium status):
  
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  • Abschiebungsverbot is given to people who are at risk if they return to their home country.¹⁴Abschiebungsverbot is often given to people from Afghanistan (more information).
  • You will receive a residence permit for at least 1 year. It will be extended if the situation in your home country does not change.
  • You can work or do vocational training (Ausbildung).
  • You may have limited opportunities for family reunification.¹⁵Income is mostly required.
• Rejection (Ablehnung)¹⁶The decision might state: “Flüchtlingseigenschaft wird nicht zuerkannt, Asylanerkennung wird abgelehnt, subsidiärer Schutz wird nicht zuerkannt, Abschiebungsverbote nach §60 liegen nicht vor.” (Refugee status is not granted, asylum status is denied, subsidiary protection is not granted, and no prohibition of deportation according to §60 apply.) It might also state: “Ablehnung als offensichtlich unbegründet” (Rejected as manifestly unfounded). If the decision says “Ablehnung als unzulässig” (Rejected as inadmissible), it is a Dublin decision, and this guide does not apply to that case. (negative decision):
  
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  • A rejection means that, for example, no significant danger is seen in your home country.¹⁷More information. If the BAMF believes that you did not tell the truth, you might receive a “manifestly unfounded” rejection.(Ablehnung als offensichtlich unbegründet)¹⁸A rejection as manifestly unfounded means that you can only prevent deportation with an urgent court application.
  • You will be asked to leave Germany.¹⁹For example, within 30 days. If you do not take legal action or if the lawsuit is rejected, you may be deported to your home country by the police.
  • If there are reasons against deportation, you might receive a Duldung (tolerated stay) (or possibly a residence permit).²⁰Reasons include dangers in your home country, serious illness, lack of travel documents, or family unity. You may also receive a toleration if you have started vocational training or employment. With Duldung, your deportation will not be carried out for a certain period. More information.

• You have 7 or 14 days²⁵The exact deadline is stated in the “Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung” at the end of the decision notice., after receiving the decision, to file a lawsuit in court.²⁶The date you received the decision is on the yellow envelope. Therefore, keep the envelope. The decision notice will also state which court you can file your lawsuit at.
• For the lawsuit, you need a lawyer. Start searching for a lawyer immediately. If you need help finding one, contact a counseling center.
• If you cannot find a lawyer, you can personally go to the court²⁷Go to the legal application office (Rechtsantragsstelle) of the court (Verwaltungsgericht). Bring someone who speaks German with you. or send a message by letter or fax.²⁸The message must reach the court before the deadline. See here for more information and templates. You still need to quickly find a lawyer to prepare your lawsuit.²⁹The court needs the substantiated lawsuit no later than 30 days after the decision notice was delivered.
• The lawsuit in court often takes between 6 and 18 months . Sometimes it takes several years, especially if the case goes to a higher court.

• If you have received a positive decision, you will receive a new residence permit. It may take several weeks until your appointment at the immigration office.³⁰You can send a message by email, fax, or letter to the immigration office to ask when you will receive the residence permit.
• Once you have received your residence permit, you are allowed to work without approval from the immigration office and move out of the reception facility.³¹You may still need to get approval from the immigration office if you move to another district for the first time, for example, because you found a job there.