Digitalising the asylum procedure

By digitalising all the essential stages in the procedure, the Federal Office helps expedite asylum applications – from entry to integration or to the return of asylum-seekers.

Proof of arrival (Ankunftsnachweis – AKN)

The three core components of Integrated Identity Management comprise early registration of refugees, data sharing via a core data system to which all public authorities involved in the asylum and integration process are connected, and the issuance of a proof of arrival.

Thanks to Integrated Identity Management, refugees are already identified and registered when they first make contact. Data sharing between the authorities involved in the asylum and integration process ensures efficiency, transparency and security in the asylum procedure. The three core components of Integrated Identity Management are the early registration of refugees by using biometric features, data sharing via a core data system, as well as the issuance of a proof of arrival. The latter replaces the informal “asylum-seeker registration certificate (BÜMA)” which previously was formless and the design of which differed from one Federal Land to another. The issuance of a proof of arrival is part of the implementation of the Data Sharing Improvement Act (Datenaustauschverbesserungsgesetz). This Act has served to create an arrangement for registering asylum-seekers that is both nationwide and comprehensive in its scope.

All initial reception facilities of the Länder, and all the BAMF’s locations, have now been equipped with recording stations in order to register asylum-seekers and issue a proof of arrival. All immigration authorities are connected to the Central Register of Foreigners. The registration authorities automatically receive registration data from the Register, and a benefit ensues from the asylum-related data that are transferred after having been collected by the police.

Mail processing

Mail processing in the Federal Office is being digitalised and centralised in order to be able to manage the large volume of incoming mail and files. Documents are to be distributed in electronic form in future, for which the Federal Office is establishing a central inbound mailbox.

The aim is to establish the central inbound mailbox as a permanent, future-orientated, efficient solution for mail processing logistics.

A separate scanning centre was created as an immediate measure. This is where documents from the branch offices are scanned and integrated into the MARiS system, where they then become available in digital form. More than 420,000 documents (as of: February 2017) have so far been digitalised and integrated since the project was launched in February 2016.

Video interpreters

The Federal Office installed its first video interpreter hubs in March 2016, and has been expanding them continuously. This enables the rising demand for interpreters to be met.

In order to meet the rising need for interpreters at the Federal Office, an efficient, transparent system with video interpreter hubs is used in connected requesting branch offices. The first video interpreter hubs were installed in a trial phase from March 2016 onwards. The capacities of the hubs and the number of connected requesting branch offices are being continuously expanded. The interpreters are connected from the hubs directly to the interviews being held in the requesting branch offices via video transmission. Transmission is via a secure internal network, and is carried out exclusively from properties of the Federal Office. The portfolio of interpreters has also been significantly expanded.

Communicating with the administrative courts

The Federal Office has introduced electronic communication with the administrative courts. Files and documents from all the branch offices can now be sent to the administrative courts electronically, by legally-compliant means as well as encrypted, via EGVP (Electronic Court and Administration Mailbox). The administrative courts can in turn address file requests to a central office in Nuremberg.

The majority of administrative courts have now stopped dispatching paper files altogether. An average of approx. 1,800 files and documents are sent by electronic means every day. The fact of no longer having to dispatch paper documents considerably reduces the workload of the branch offices, for instance also when it comes to statements of defence. The rapid dispatch of files requested, on the same day in most cases, enables administrative court judges to recognise a clear time benefit when it comes to processing cases. The technical solution is stable, and provides the desired workload reduction.