When immigrants' documents arrive at BAFI, they are distributed among the federal states. At the same time, the Federal Office for the Recognition of Foreign Refugees tries to take into account the immigrants' wishes. This is very important, because a subsequent move to another federal state for permanent residence usually entails enormous difficulties. This is primarily related to the payment of social assistance, since immigrants are entitled to receive social benefits only in the administrative region to which they were initially sent. If a person changes their place of residence by moving to another federal state, they may lose their right to social assistance.
However, already when the application form is issued, potential immigrants are warned without fail: there is no guarantee that their wishes regarding the federal state will be taken into account. But your opinion may be heeded if you have a serious reason for it. For example, you want to be in the same state as your relatives. It should be noted that the relative must be close - father, mother, brother or sister. Most often in such a case, they will meet you halfway and will not separate you.
Overall, the distribution among the states is carried out according to a specific method based on the so-called Königsteiner formula. This method calculates the amount of subsidies allocated to the federal states for tasks related to accepting immigrants. The calculation is based on data on tax revenues and the population of the state. It is for this reason that a certain number of immigrants are sent to each state.
Each state has its own waiting period - some have to wait a year, and others all five. The thing is, in each state immigrants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. If you don't receive an answer for a long time, it doesn't mean your documents are still being checked. In reality, you are simply waiting your turn. As soon as the state is ready to accept you, that is, to provide a place in a dormitory and other benefits, you will be informed by sending you an invitation to travel.
Today's process of accepting Jewish immigrants is based on the decision of the GDR government of July 11, 1990. According to it, Jews from the USSR could immigrate to the GDR in unlimited numbers. Subsequently, the decree was extended to the entire territory of Germany. It was also decided that the acceptance of Jewish immigrants would be based on the Law on Contingent Refugees of 1980, which stipulates that people with this status have far more rights and benefits than other foreigners. But on the basis of statistical data showing that in recent times an average of about 15,000 Jewish immigrants per year arrived in Germany, in 2002 the Bundestag adopted a new law whose task is to regulate the flow and stay of foreigners in Germany. This law provided for the abolition of the Contingent Refugee Law. In addition, in order to avoid social difficulties, immigrants were required to attend German language courses in their country of origin, i.e. before leaving for permanent residence in Germany.
The law was to take effect on January 1, 2003, but was overturned by the Federal Constitutional Court due to errors made during the voting process in the Bundesrat. Therefore, the Contingent Refugee Law remains in force today. A new draft law has been submitted to the Bundestag, but a decision has not yet been made.
Tatyana POMINCHUK,
Gulf Stream association.