Germany and several European nations announced on Monday that they are halting decisions on asylum claims from Syrian nationals due to the uncertain situation in Syria following the departure of Bashar Assad.
Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees disclosed that over 47,000 asylum applications are currently in limbo and that they will reevaluate the circumstances before resuming any decisions once there is more stability in Syria.
Sonja Kock, a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, emphasized that each asylum case is considered individually, taking into account the situation in the applicant’s home country. She noted that if a situation is ambiguous, such as the current state in Syria, the authorities have the option to prioritize cases from other regions.
German officials believe it is premature to ascertain the broader implications of Assad’s fall on the numerous Syrians who have sought asylum in Germany, especially during the refugee influx in the mid-2010s.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that predicting “concrete possibilities for return” is not feasible and that speculation during this volatile period would be inappropriate.
As of October 31, German authorities reported that there are approximately 974,136 Syrian nationals in the country, most of whom have received some form of refugee or protective status.
In Austria, Chancellor Karl Nehammer directed the interior minister to pause asylum decisions for Syrian applicants as well. Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg highlighted the importance of establishing facts and putting asylum and family reunification procedures on hold until a clearer picture emerges.
Sweden’s Migration Agency similarly announced a suspension of decisions on Syrian asylum cases, citing the difficulties in evaluating the justifications for protection at this time. While the duration of this pause remains unspecified, it is reminiscent of actions taken in response to the Taliban taking control in Afghanistan back in 2021.
In Finland, Antti Lehtinen, the director of the International Protection Department at the Finnish Immigration Service, confirmed to a public broadcaster that they too have suspended decision-making and cannot currently estimate when the process will resume.
Norway’s Directorate of Immigration has also paused asylum applications from Syria “until further notice.”
Meanwhile, France is contemplating a similar approach to Germany’s decision. The French Interior Ministry stated, “We are working on a suspension of ongoing asylum files from Syria,” with a decision expected shortly, noting that there are currently 450 pending applications from Syrian nationals in France.
