The stages of the asylum procedure

Asylum is a right that enjoys constitutional protection, and it must be assessed according to legal stipulations. The examination of asylum applications, during which a large number of procedural steps need to be complied with, taking account of different responsibilities, is one of the most important tasks performed by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, the authority responsible for this procedure. The staff of the Office need to assess whether an asylum applicant is at risk of such persecution in his or her country of origin, or whether his or her life or liberty is placed in jeopardy. Here we provide information on individual aspects of the asylum procedure such as the interview with the applicants, which is prescribed by law, how the decisions are reached, process optimisation, as well as the European context.