Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt affirmed that conducting security checks for Afghans who have received promises of admission is a key prerequisite for granting visas to those stranded in Pakistan. “I will handle the matter in a way that ensures we know exactly who is coming,” Dobrindt said.
The minister’s remarks came in response to criticism of Germany’s Afghan admission program, particularly following the deterioration of conditions for more than 2,000 Afghans who had been approved for resettlement in Germany but remain in Pakistan after the Pakistani government’s decision to deport Afghans to their home country.
The interior minister has faced criticism over the lengthy security checks. He pointed out that the previous government was responsible for the crisis in the Afghan admissions program, saying: “This is an issue that has not been addressed for years. I will address it, but only in a way that ensures the highest level of certainty about who will be admitted, why they will be admitted, and whether the admission is justified. If it is not justified, I will not support it.”
He also reaffirmed his commitment to the security screening process, saying: “I am not prepared to abandon the standard admission procedures or the security clearances.” He noted that the security review could take a long time, adding: “I am carrying it out as thoroughly as possible, and that is why it takes time. If the outcome of the security clearances and admission procedures is negative, these individuals will not be allowed to come to Germany.”
A few days ago, Lars Castellucci, the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights, spoke about the need to accelerate the admission procedures for Afghans stranded in Pakistan. Castellucci pointed to the lengthy processing time for individuals who already have a binding promise of admission to Germany. He said that “the coalition of the two parties agreed on an orderly and humane migration policy,” adding that “the lengthy examinations in the Afghan admission program meet neither of these two conditions.”
Currently, there are around 2,300 Afghans in Pakistan who hold binding admission promises to Germany. The current German government is working to suspend admission programs, while the Federal Minister of the Interior is seeking to reduce the number of visas as part of broader efforts to curb migration.
