Welcome to Schleswig-Holstein.

To begin with, you have been given accommodation in a preliminary reception centre. Here, people will give you further assistance. You will be looked after and you will be given your first lessons in German. You will only stay and have your meals in the preliminary reception centre for a time. There is also a doctor here in the centre. You will be registered here, and after some time you will be moved to accommodation in a different town or municipality.

Schleswig-Holstein – the region, the people and their values

You have arrived in Schleswig-Holstein. This is the most northern federal state in Germany and the only state lying between 2 seas: the Baltic and the North Sea. To the north, we border on Denmark. For many years, people from different ethnic groups and nations have been living together here in Schleswig-Holstein. People here are open, friendly and tolerant – and they all wish you a warm welcome.

Schleswig-Holstein has an area of 15,800 square kilometres and has some 2.8 million inhabitants. The largest city is the state capital Kiel. There are only comparatively few large towns but a large number of smaller municipalities. The name of the state premier (Minister-President) of Schleswig-Holstein is Daniel Günther.

People in Schleswig-Holstein work mainly in the following fields: services industry, maritime technology, tourism, renewable energy and medical technology.

Who is called refugee?

We use the word ‟refugee” to refer to all persons who flee to us from their own country in search of protection. We wish you a warm welcome here!

According to Article 1 of the Geneva Convention on Refugees (GCR) and § 3 of the German Asylum Act (AsylG), a refugee is defined as any person who is outside the country of his nationality because he is threatened with persecution in that home country for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a certain social group and is unable or, owing to such fear, unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.

Besides this definition, there is a further, more extended meaning of the concept ‟refugee” which is used in everyday language. This is used as a rule to refer to persons whose presence is tolerated in the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, i.e. persons who have either not submitted an application for asylum or whose application has remained unsuccessful.

How does the process of applying for asylum work?

As soon as you inform the authorities on or after your arrival in the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany that you are seeking protection from persecution or from other harmful events in your country of origin, your case will be treated as an application for asylum. From this point on, you will be granted preliminary protection and you will be issued a certificate that you have submitted an application as an asylum- seeker.

You will then proceed to the reception centre named in this certificate. Here, your personal details will be recorded, and if this has not already been performed your finger-prints will be taken and a medical examination conducted. How long you stay in the reception centre will depend on your nationality.

During the early stages of your stay in the reception centre, a formal application for asylum will generally be made with the associated branch office of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and a hearing conducted on your reasons for fleeing from your home country. After this, you will be assigned inside Schleswig-Holstein to different administrative districts or administratively independent towns/cities for accommodation, care and assistance.

Depending on the number of refugees allocated to reception centres, it may be the case that your asylum application can only be made after you have been assigned to other locations inside Schleswig-Holstein. If you are a citizen of a safe country of origin, you will remain in the reception centre during the entire asylum proceedings.

In the course of the asylum procedure, it will first be reviewed on the basis of your finger-prints taken which member or user state of the EU Regulation on Responsibility for Asylum-Seekers (so-called Dublin III Regulation) is responsible for conducting asylum proceedings. In the event that this is not Germany, you will be called upon by the BAMF to return to the member state that is responsible.

In cases in which proceedings are conducted in Germany, the BAMF will be responsible for deciding on your application for asylum. If the decision reached is a positive one, it is possible for four different types of protection status to be determined. You may be granted one or several such types of status. The four types of status are as follows:

• Eligibility for asylum status (Article 16 of the Basic Law)
• Refugee protection status in accordance with the Geneva Convention on Refugees
• Subsidiary protection status in accordance with the Joint European System for Dealing with Asylum-Seekers
• …

Your first steps

The highest-ranking law in our country is the constitution, which in Germany is called the "Basic Law" (Grundgesetz). It contains all the most important and elementary principles of how we live together; all religious communities are also subject to these principles:

We live in a democracy.

• All German citizens – both male and female – decide together who is to govern our country.

Germany is a constitutional state governed by the rule of law.

• The state and all its inhabitants must obey the law.
• If anyone commits a crime, the state will make sure that the person is punished. The judiciary decides what is lawful and unlawful; this also applies within a marriage, and to all forms of behaviour towards children.
• In Germany, a marriage is only valid if the matrimonial vows have been taken in the presence of a representative of the state (registrar).
• We do not have torture, corporal punishment or the death penalty in Germany.
• All persons are equal before the law.
• Men and women have the same rights and obligations before the law and in society.
• Every man and woman is permitted to express his or her opinion openly without fear of being imprisoned or persecuted as a result. There is also no press censorship. But this does not mean that people are permitted to make discriminatory statements or behave in a discriminatory manner, for example in a sexist, racist, xenophobic (hostile to foreigners) or anti-Semitic fashion.

Tolerance and respect

• Tolerance and respect towards other persons are principles that rank very high in Germany. Article 3 of the Basic Law states that no person shall be favoured or disfavoured because of sex, parentage, race, language, homeland and origin, faith, or religious or political opinions. No person shall be disfavoured because of disability.
• Such behaviour as harassing/molesting or taking hold of a person – either male or female – without this person’s approval is not tolerated here in Germany and will always be punishable by law.
• Religion is a private affair in Germany. Everyone is allowed to decide in what he or she believes. Religious communities do not take precedence over the state. There is a clear separation between churches and religious communities and the state.
• Men and women are permitted to wear whatever clothing they like. A number of professions may, however, have special dress regulations.
• Women may decide for themselves how far they wish to cover their bodies with clothing. If at all, such decisions are only governed by the rules of society which may vary from location to location. The way in which a woman clothes her body does not provide permission for others to grasp or take hold of her.

Equal rights

• Every grown-up male and female is allowed to decide for himself or herself whom he or she is to marry. Such a decision may not be punished by anyone. It is also legally permitted for a marriage to be divorced.
• It is equally normal to lead a married or unmarried existence.
• In Germany, everyone is free to decide his or her own sexual orientation. Homosexuality is permitted; homosexual couples are permitted to marry, just like men and women.

You can read more in your own language about the rights of women in Germany under the following links:

Nur Mut! Handlungsmöglichkeiten für Frauen in Gewaltbeziehungen (auf deutsch) (PDF, 6MB, Datei ist barrierefrei)

Hilfetelefon - Gewalt gegen Frauen

„Geh deinen Weg! Deine Rechte als Frau in Deutschland“

You may find an overview of the regulations contained in the Basic Law under the following links:

Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany

Grundrechte (deutsch-arabisch / deutsch-englisch)

Persons with special protection requirements

There are advice centres for persons with special protection requirements throughout Schleswig-Holstein. All the necessary bodies to contact are listed together under the following link:

Special protection requirements

Background information that is important to know:

• The concept ‟refugee” in Germany is not considered to be an insult. We use this word to refer to all persons who flee to us from their own country in search of protection. We wish you a warm welcome here!
• Every child must go to school in Germany. Here we have the legal obligation to attend school; in Schleswig-Holstein, this obligation is for nine years.
• As a rule, people shake hands when they meet or greet each other. Embracing another person, patting him or her on the back or other forms of bodily contact are only common amongst persons who are good friends.
• It is not uncommon in Germany for persons who are fond of each other or in love to behave affectionately in public, e.g. to hold hands while walking or to exchange a kiss. You should accept this as normal behaviour, even if you decide for yourself that you will not exhibit such private behaviour in public. This applies both to a friendly, partner-like relationship between man and woman, and also to men who are fond of or in love with other men and to women who …

How do we live in Germany?

In order to be able to find your way successfully in Germany, it is important that you should learn the German language. To do this, you have the possibility to participate in various language courses offered by voluntary or full-time providers in Schleswig-Holstein.

Such opportunities vary from language support courses offered by voluntary individuals or neighbourhood initiatives to full-time initial orientation and certified language courses for your own personal and professional future.

read more here

What must you take into consideration when you live in a flat?

Accommodation

Helpful information for everyday situations

Contracts, cost traps, doorstep selling, etc.

Much in Germany will be new to you; a number of things will appear familiar but will possibly function differently from in your home country. The consumer advice office can give you information on how to transfer money, on doorstep selling and much more besides; it will also give you warning information about cost traps. Cf. website below:

Informationen der Verbraucherzentrale (DEUTSCH, ENGLISCH, ARABISCH)

Having a driving licence recognized

Persons in possession of a driving licence from states which are not members of the EU or the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and who can verify their normal place of residence as being in the Federal Republic of Germany require a German driving licence. A normal place of residence is considered to exist when a person is not resident there only for a short time but for a longer period – expressed in simple terms, when such persons live there for at least 185 days in a year. However, a German driving licence will not be required immediately on entering the country. It is possible to drive those vehicles for which the licence is valid for six months after entering the country with a foreign driving licence.

As a rule, it is necessary to have a German-language translation for all foreign driving licences which are not issued in German. But there are exceptions to this rule. Before driving a vehicle in Germany with a foreign driving licence, refugees should contact the driving licence authorities responsible for the federal state in which they are resident. The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure provides detailed advice under the following link:

Minor work in house and garden in return for a small token of appreciation

Refugees and displaced persons are only permitted to take on minor work in house and garden without encountering problems when such work is not considered to be gainful employment. Under residence law, this applies both to freelance activity and to dependent employment. In addition, additional legal considerations which are also valid for all citizens of the country must be taken into consideration (Minimum Wages Act, Control of Unreported Employment Act, tax and social security obligations). The scope of activities which it is permitted to carry out without being affected by such legislation is an extremely narrow one. Only carrying out such minor work on a one-off basis may be viewed with impunity.

Opening a bank account

Refugees and displaced persons have the right to open a basic bank account.

News services

National and regional news for refugees can be found on the websites of the NDR (North German Radio/TV) networks.

Nachrichten aus der Region

Germany Guide

See following link:

Sendung mit der Maus (TV programme “with the mouse” - for children)

See following link:

„Marhaba“ – Ankommen in Deutschland (Arriving in Germany – NTV network programme)

This programme (see link below) gives an insight into everyday life in Germany in the Arabic language.

Refugee Radio

See following link:

Radio licence fees

Persons receiving benefits under the Asylum-Seekers Benefits Act (AsylbLG) are exempt from paying radio licence fees. In cases in which asylum-seekers nevertheless receive communications from the radio licence fee authority, they or the persons responsible for their welfare should inform the authority without delay that the person concerned has the status of an asylum-seeker. Only through such notification is it possible for the person receiving this communication to avoid being registered for radio licence fees and to prevent a payment demand from being issued. The same applies to recipients of unemployment benefits II, social welfare payments, old-age basic income support or student support under the Federal Education and Training Assistance Act (BAFÖG—BUNDESAUSBILDUNGSFÖRDERUNGSGESETZ). Notification forms are available under rundfunkbeitrag.de. Cf. also following link:

Sport

See following link:

Sport opportunities

Support in legal proceedings

See following link:

Support in legal proceedings

Insurance

Refugees and displaced persons – like all German citizens – are in the first instance all uninsured. This situation changes, for example, as soon as they take up gainful employment and/or take out private insurance cover. Apart from a few exceptions, asylum-seekers in Schleswig-Holstein are issued with an electronic health insurance card.

How should you behave in the street and in public transport?

Legal aid

Refugees may obtain legal advice from an attorney through the legal aid service. Legal aid is only granted for exercising one’s rights outside of court proceedings in matters relating to civil, labour, administrative, social and criminal law. Applications for legal aid must be submitted to the local district court.

Persons wishing to obtain legal advice or to be represented by an attorney are required to pay EUR 15,00; additional costs are covered by the legal aid service. Legal advisers may waive the fee of EUR 15,00 if the person requiring advice is unable to pay. Legal advisers are generally not permitted to ask for payment of more than the sum specified.

Legal aid for court costs and one’s own legal counsel

If disputes need to be decided before a court, it is necessary to file a lawsuit to institute proceedings. The costs of legal proceedings (court costs and costs of one’s own legal counsel) can (in certain cases on a proportional basis) be borne by the legal aid service available for this purpose. Legal aid for court costs and one’s own legal counsel can be granted to persons with low income in the context of proceedings conducted before civil, administrative, labour, fiscal and social welfare courts.

Legal aid of this sort has no effect on the costs which may perhaps need to be paid to the opposing party, especially costs which may need to be paid to the opposing party’s attorney. Persons who lose a court case must therefore generally also pay the costs of the opposing party’s legal counsel, even if legal aid has been granted for court costs and for their own counsel. Applications for legal aid for court costs and for one’s own counsel must be submitted to the trial court. Thie is the court which is responsible locally and by area of competence for the legal dispute.

Public law clinics

In addition, there are also other ways in which to obtain legal advice free of charge or in return for a fee dependent on one’s income. Thus, for example, many towns and municipalities in Schleswig-Holstein offer legal advice in public law clinics. More information may be obtained from the appropriate administrative services.

Further information is also available from the local district court or in the brochures listed below:

Medical services for refugees/displaced persons

Health

Are you looking for a missing member of your family?

Can I arrange to bring my family to Germany?

Unaccompanied foreign minors will be taken into the care of the Youth Welfare Office if they do not have a legal guardian or personal custodian in Germany. The Youth Welfare Office will arrange temporary accommodation for the child or young person(s) with a suitable individual or institution, or in other type of housing. During this time, the Office will be responsible for undertaking all legal acts that may be required for the minor’s well-being, for the minor’s necessary upkeep and for ensuring that there is adequate medical care available. The Youth Welfare Office also ensures that unaccompanied foreign minors will be immediately assigned a legal guardian or counsellor by the Family Courts.

In practice, it is initially not always possible to determine without doubt whether such persons are indeed minors or whether they have already come of age. In such cases, a qualified visual examination may initially be a suitable means to determine the age of the person concerned. Until appropriate findings have been presented, it will be assumed that the person concerned is a minor.

Are there special asylum proceedings for unaccompanied refugee minors?

There are no special asylum procedures for unaccompanied foreign minors. As for other cases, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) will examine whether there are grounds for granting protection status to the minor concerned. However, the BAMF has a number of trained special representatives available for unaccompanied minors who will ensure a child-oriented hearing during asylum proceedings and take account of all child-related factors when a decision is being reached on applications for asylum.

Can unaccompanied foreign minors be deported?

Unaccompanied minors who have not been granted protection status during asylum proceedings and who do not otherwise meet the requirements for being granted rights of residence can be deported in accordance with existing residence regulations. According to § 58 (1a) of the German Residence Act (AufenthG), however, the authorities must first ensure that such minors are returned to a family member, to a person entitled to personal custodianship of the minor or to any suitable reception centre in the country of return. Unaccompanied minors are deported only in very rare cases.

Who assumes legal guardianship for unaccompanied foreign minors and who is responsible for appointing such guardians?

Before the Family Court can appoint a legal guardian, it must first determine whether parental care is in abeyance. Unaccompanied foreign minors are assigned to a legal guardian whenever they are not under parental care, when the parents are dead or when parental care has been suspended due to real hindrance or obstacle. A real hindrance or obstacle is deemed to exist, e.g. when personal custodians are living abroad and there is no contact between them and the unaccompanied foreign minor. Such hindrance or obstacle does not exist, however, in cases in which the parents may be reached by telephone or through the postal service – even if this may be difficult or expensive, The Family Court hears the views of the Youth Welfare Office and the foreign minor and selects a legal guardian. The guardian so selected takes the person into his or her care and acts as official representative for the ward.

How long does it take to appoint a legal guardian by the Family Court?

In practice, the Family Court reaches decisions at regular intervals on whether parental care has been suspended and on appointing legal guardians. Provided the Youth Welfare Office applies immediately to the Family Court for a legal guardian or custodian to be appointed for an unaccompanied foreign minor, such proceedings will on principle be given priority and processing usually only lasts for between several days and one month. In individual cases, however, they can last for a longer period, e.g. if the foreign minors concerned leave the institution in which they have been accommodated in the meantime, usually with the aim of continuing their journey.

Where can unaccompanied minors find more information?

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) provides a comprehensive information service for unaccompanied minors. Cf. link to website below:

BAMF: Informationen für unbegleitete Minderjährige

Search for family members

Under www.tracetheface.org, refugees of up to the age of 15 years in Europe can search for relatives they may have lost during their flight and whom they think may be located in another European country. Cf. following link:

Trace the Face

Red Cross Tracing Services publish photos on "Trace the Face - kids" of children looking for their relatives and of relatives looking for their children. The website is password-protected. Only Red Cross employees are able to see such photos and are thus able to bring together those searching and those being searched for.

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