Information available , Date: 2019.05.13, format: Article, area: Return

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The "Returning from Germany" online portal

Website www.returningfromgermany.deGrößer darstellen Website www.returningfromgermany.de

The "Returning from Germany" online portal provides prospective returnees, volunteers and staff of return counselling centres, interested professionals as well as public authorities with information about the funding programmes available and return counselling centres, as well as details on the countries of origin and the local reintegration programmes. The information specific to the country of origin ranging from financial support to information on the labour market, on the housing situation and on healthcare in the country of origin is currently available in German and English, as well as seven other languages.

The nationwide return hotline

Contact

Federal Office for Migration and Refugees - return hotline

Frankenstraße 210
90461 Nuremberg

Phone +49 911 943 - 0
Fax: +49 911 943 - 1000
E-mail: Write a message

The Federal Office's return hotline is an effective complement to the local counselling centres of the Federal Länder. As the first port of call, the hotline staff provide information about existing return and reintegration programmes, and refer people to the nearest return counselling centres. Prospective returnees, public authorities and volunteers can contact the hotline from Monday to Friday (between 9:00 am and 11:00 am) with the questions they have about voluntary returns. Hotline staff can answer questions in both German and English.

Return counselling centres

In confidential discussions, prospective returnees can obtain information from the return counselling centres about their possibilities and prospects, as well as about the available programmes to support their return to their country of origin and reintegration. Return counselling comes under the remit of the Federal Länder, and is implemented by both state authorities and voluntary welfare associations. The "Returning from Germany" online portal includes a search function for the nearest return counselling centre.

The Information Centre for Voluntary Return (ZIRF)

The Information Centre for Voluntary Return (ZIRF) offers reliable data in a comprehensive database on the infrastructure, economic situation and healthcare available, including in individual towns and cities or regions in the countries of origin, focusing first and foremost on the following:

  • country-specific information sheets on selected countries,
  • information on more than 100 countries of origin,
  • answers to specific queries regarding the individual countries of origin

Return counselling centres can make specific enquiries regarding the individual countries of origin via ZIRF counselling. All the country-specific information, the query forms and any queries which may already have been answered that were submitted via ZIRF counselling are available on the "Returning from Germany" online portal.

"Voluntary return option" - network meetings

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) provide information on the measures, activities and projects that they are implementing in voluntary return under the title "Voluntary Return Option" and are jointly developing new approaches. On behalf of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, regular information events are held to present current developments in voluntary return. The "voluntary return option" provides information on synergies and links between the respective measures, thus implementing the Federal Government's coherent approach to voluntary return.

Owing to the considerable response to the network meetings and the ongoing need for better information on reintegration for return counsellors as an aspect of return counselling, the 2019 series of events will be continued with different focal themes and further developed concepts.

Please contact the International Organisation for Migration direct should you have any questions.