The German Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) has announced to suspend humanitarian visas temporarily. The respective announcement has been placed on the ministry’s official website. It is a temporary suspension of the so-called humanitarian admission procedures under Section 22 of the Residence Act (AufenthG).
Humanitarian visas under this article are intended for persons who are in exceptional danger, in particular due to their anti-war, human rights or democratic activities in countries such as Russia, Belarus and Iran. It is precisely for these categories that an accelerated procedure has been in place in recent years, which has now been suspended. A similar measure has also affected humanitarian programmes for citizens of Afghanistan and Syria.
The ministry emphasises that the suspension does not apply to those who have already entered Germany on a humanitarian visa. Procedures for extending existing residence permits also remain in force. In addition, individuals who have already been approved for a visa do not need to take any further action.
No reason for suspension has been publicly announced but the action has raised alarm among human rights groups. Humanitarian admission programmes were seen as one of the few legal avenues of escape for activists facing repression. Now this channel is temporarily closed.
