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Ask HN: How Can I leave Syria now and get asylum in Europe (Germany)

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Ask HN: How Can I leave Syria now and get asylum in Europe (Germany)

#1

Post by aforarnold »

Guys, I am in Syria(specifically in Damascus). Seems war is rolling out. Most of the people are moving to border regions but I cant and I am a programmer worked as a remote dev for an Australian startup. But I am not sure how long I will be able to work living in Syria. I want move to Europe specially in Germany as the startup scene is booming in Berlin. So can you guys give me suggestion of legal way to move in Germany as an asylum and will I be able to work if I can move. I went through google but couldn't find much information. And I will be happy to have contact with startups that are hiring dev. I have couple of years backend development experience with Python(Django),LAMP,Node.js and some unix skill. Thanks in advance.

Re: Ask HN: How Can I leave Syria now and get asylum in Europe (Germany)

#2

Post by w_t_payne »

Find a lawyer in Germany, and get advice from them before you go.

My knowledge is both limited, 12+ years outdated, and restricted to the UK, but here is my tuppence-worth anyway:

1. It is both a legal and a bureaucratic process. 2. Apply for asylum at the first possible opportunity. At the border crossing-point or airport, if possible. 3. Don't lie. 4. Be prepared with documentary evidence to back up any statements that you are going to make. 5. If possible, have documentary evidence that you are facing persecution, or that your life is in danger. (Sounds silly in the current situation, I know, but anyway...) 6. Make sure that a friendly party (or your lawyer) has a copy of these documents.

It might be easier, if the danger looks like it is going to be temporary, to reach out and try to get somebody to "host" you, and go on a visitor's visa.

Re: Ask HN: How Can I leave Syria now and get asylum in Europe (Germany)

#4

Post by mschuster91 »

Forget Germany as an asylum target. Our politicians have massively restricted asylum acceptance and even for those who do get accepted it's a hell of a fight and even more paperwork.

Also, you have the problem that you likely won't even be able to enter the European Union, except if you smuggle yourself via the Turkish-Greek border - but then again, the Germans simply fly you to Greece because this is the place where you entered the European Union technically.

Re: Ask HN: How Can I leave Syria now and get asylum in Europe (Germany)

#8

Post by angerman »

w_t_payne wrote: post #2

Find a lawyer in Germany, and get advice from them before you go. My knowledge is both limited, 12+ years outdated, and restricted to the UK, but here is my tuppence-worth anyway: 1. It is both a legal and a bureaucratic process. 2. Apply for asylum at the first possible opportunity. At the border crossing-point or airport, if possible. 3. Don't lie. 4. Be prepared with documentary evidence to back up any statements…

I second what w_t_payne said. The following are just some ideas, please keep in mind that I'm no lawyer! This is no legal advice at all!

If you do have relatives in Germany, that might be a route to explore. I heard something in the news, that this may be an option.

For working though, that's going to be a tough one. Reading the Wikipedia article (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbeitserlaubnis) right, it states that: "Asylbewerber dürfen für die ersten 12 Monate überhaupt nicht arbeiten (§ 61 Abs. 2 AsylVfG), anschließend gilt ein nachrangiger Arbeitsmarktzugang nach der BeschVerfV (siehe oben)." Which translates to: people seeking asylum must not take up any employment for the first 12 month.

As well as "Asylberechtigte, Konventionsflüchtlinge (§ 25 Abs. 1 und 2 AufenthG) sowie Ausländer mit einer Niederlassungserlaubnis (§ 9 Abs. 1 AufenthG) haben nach dem Aufenthaltsgesetz ein Recht auf Erwerbstätigkeit.", which transaltes to: people granted asylum (and some others) holding a residence permit, are allowed to work.

That's both ends of the spectrum, so there may be some middle ground after 12 month. I'm not lawyer though!

Finally, I think, maybe the folks from PRO Asyl may be the right ones to ask. See: http://www.proasyl.de/en/contact/

PS: regarding hosting, from my exprience it's a somewhat lengthy progress, depending on the regonal administration. Your host will have to provide financial standing for your stay (requirements differ for the duration of your stay), with that he or she has to send that document certifying the financial standing as well as a signed invitation to you (the original), with which you have to go to the german emabassy in your country and apply for a temporary visa.

Re: Ask HN: How Can I leave Syria now and get asylum in Europe (Germany)

#9

Post by bayesianhorse »

I'm not an expert. But if you are seeking asylum, you will not be allowed to work for about a year. The biggest problem with Asylum in Germany is probably how to enter Germany before any of the other countries between Germany and Syria...

You might try a "blue card", if you can get a good salary. But I am not sure how easy that is from Syria at the moment...

Also keep in mind that islamophobia in Germany is rising across the board. And no, my fellow Germans generally make no distinction between copts, syrian christians or muslims.

Re: Ask HN: How Can I leave Syria now and get asylum in Europe (Germany)

#10

Post by pixelkritzel »

Hi. To get asylum in Germany is difficult.

First of all, make sure that you take a direct flight to Germany. If you enter any other European Country before, you have to get asylum there.

Second and maybe more important. If you try to get an asylum in Germany, you are not allowed to work for the first year. It's crazy and doesn't make any sense.

If you still want to get here. And it's a great city. Here is the Email address of the refugee help in Berlin: buero@fluechtlingsrat-berlin.de

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