Participating authorities
The Federal Office works on asylum procedures with the local immigration offices, the Federal Office of Administration, the Federal Police Force, federal and regional security authorities and the UNHCR.
Although the Federal Office has sole responsibility for asylum procedures, many other authorities are involved in implementing them.
The immigration authorities in the Federal Länder are responsible for issues concerning residence law, such as accommodation and board for asylum-seekers. The Federal Office is therefore obliged to inform the local immigration offices if an application for asylum has been made or an asylum procedure has been concluded.
If asylum is applied for, the Federal Office enters the data in the Central Register of Foreign Nationals. The Federal Office of Administration then uses this data to implement tasks that it carries out on behalf of the Federal Office.
If foreign nationals wish to apply for asylum at a border, they contact the Federal Police Force. The latter decides whether the asylum-seeker should be transferred to an initial reception facility or denied entry. The Federal Police Force transfers the asylum-seeker to the Federal Office from airports that participate in the "airport procedure". Whether it is possible to enter the country in these cases depends on the decision made concerning the asylum application.
The Federal Office works in a trust-based relationship with the federal and regional security authorities within the framework of the legal regulations. The Federal Criminal Police Office supports the Federal Office by analysing asylum-seekers' fingerprints, for example.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) monitors compliance with the Geneva Refugee Convention, and every asylum-seeker may contact the UNHCR. If the UNHCR requests information in order to carry out its work, the Federal Office supplies it.
