The German government is working to close a legal loophole that allows Afghan refugees with protected status to travel back to their home country. Recent investigations have revealed instances of such travel, prompting calls for stricter regulations and potential revocation of refugee status for those who return to Afghanistan.
The German government is taking steps to close a legal loophole that has allowed Afghan refugees with protected status to travel back to Afghanistan. Sebastian Hartmann, the spokesperson for domestic policy of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, emphasized the importance of protecting those who flee their home countries due to threats to their life and safety. He stated, “If groups of people return to these same countries for a holiday, then there can be no immediate danger to their well-being.”
This debate was sparked by an investigation conducted by RTL, which uncovered that travel agencies in Hamburg were allegedly organizing trips to Afghanistan for people with protected status. The investigation revealed that some Afghans with protected status and a “blue passport,” which only allows return travel in exceptional cases, were illegally traveling back to their home country.
The method reportedly involves not attaching the visa to the passport, thus circumventing the travel restrictions. In response, the German Police Union has called for the closure of this legal loophole. Hartmann added, “The federal and state governments must work together to determine how to revoke protected status in cases of proven return travel.”
Calls for stricter enforcement
Lamya Kaddor, the domestic policy spokesperson for the Green Party, stated that, in principle, there is no issue with traveling with a blue passport. However, she emphasized the need for transparency regarding travel destinations and ensuring control upon re-entry. One proposed solution is to require entry stamps in the passport itself, rather than on loose sheets of paper. Kaddor also highlighted that any travel to dangerous home countries should only occur with the consent of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) when it is unavoidable.
Stephan Thomae, the parliamentary secretary of the FDP faction, argued that if someone who has sought asylum or refugee protection in Germany voluntarily returns to their country of origin for vacation—especially if that country is experiencing war, civil unrest, or personal persecution—it indicates they no longer require protection. In such cases, Thomae believes that refugee status should be immediately revoked, followed by deportation and a ban on re-entry and residence.
Government response
Joachim Stamp, the Federal Government’s Commissioner for Migration, warned refugees against traveling to their home countries for leisure or vacation purposes. Speaking to “Bild,” he asserted, “Germany must remain open to the world, but not naive. Authorities must ensure that people who have sought protection here but take vacations in their home country immediately lose their protection status and can no longer stay in Germany. Period.”
While there are situations where travel to the country of origin may be permitted—such as due to a severe illness or the death of a close family member—these cases must be carefully evaluated. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in Nuremberg confirmed that each case of reported return travel is examined to determine whether the granted protection should be revoked.
However, the BAMF does not have precise data on how often protection has been revoked due to such travel. The agency publishes general statistics on protection reviews, which may occur for various reasons other than return travel. There is no detailed breakdown of the reasons for reviewing or revoking protection status.
