Do you wish to pack your bags and go away for a while? Whether you want to travel for work- or family-related reasons or would like to have a holiday abroad, it is not always clear which countries you are permitted to go to as a refugee. Here, we try to clarify which countries you are allowed to travel to with your residence status and travel document as a refugee.
In principle, Foreign citizens in Germany are required to have a valid passport or a substitute passport. The issuing and renewal of foreign citizens' passports is usually the responsibility of the embassy or consulate of their country of origin.
However, certain groups of people are exempt from this regulation, for whom a passport substitute could be issued:
- Persons entitled to asylum and recognised “refugees” according to the Geneva Refugee Convention
- Stateless persons
- People who have subsidiary protection
- People for whom a national ban on deportation has been established and who have no reasonable opportunity to obtain a passport from their home country.
The mentioned groups are often issued a passport replacement document ("Passersatzpapier") in Germany, which exists in three forms:
- The travel document for refugees (Known as "Blauer Pass" or "Blue Passport")
- The travel document for stateless persons
- The travel document for foreigners
In principle, you will be handed the travel document for refugees together with your residence permit at the Immigration Office. Learn more about the travel document for refugees in our chapter "Blue Passport". As a stateless person or someone who is residing in Germany under subsidiary protection or due to a national ban on deportation, you must apply for the travel document for foreigners and stateless persons ("Grey Passport" or "Grauer Pass") at the relevant Immigration Office. You will need to prove to the authorities that it is not likely or feasible for you to obtain a passport from your home country. You can find the relevant Immigration Office at bamf.de.
You will find all the essential information about the travel document for refugees in our chapter "Blue Passport".
In principle, you can travel abroad if you hold a travel document for foreigners or stateless persons (the so-called "Gray passport"). For most countries, however, you need a visa, plus, not all countries recognise the "Grey Passport" as a valid travel document. Before planning a trip, you can contact the embassy of the country in question to see whether they recognise your travel document and issue you a visa or not. On the last page of this UNHCR report, you can see a list of countries which recognise the "Gray Passport". Whether you will be issued a visa depends on various factors such as your country of origin, nationality, your situation in Germany and alike, so it is difficult to predict the result of your visa application.
As someone who holds a "Grey Passport", you can go to all the Schengen States without a visa and stay there for up to three months. You can find a list of Schengen states at auswaertiges-amt.de.
Please note: You could lose your residence permit in Germany if you travel to your home country while residing in Germany under subsidiary protection or due to a national ban on deportation. If the Immigration Office learns about your trip, they can initiate a revocation procedure, and you could lose your protection and right of residence in Germany.
Important: What are the “Schengen states”?
The "Schengen States" are a group of countries in Europe that have agreed to keep their shared borders open to free travel. This means that residents of these countries can travel from one Schengen country to another without passport controls or visa requirements as if they were in their own country. This means that you are allowed to enter and travel within the Schengen States as a tourist for three months within a period of 180 days.
Not all European countries belong to the Schengen area. Some countries have decided against joining and are maintaining their own border controls. Therefore, it is always a good idea to find out before travelling whether the country you want to travel to is part of the Schengen area.
If you reside in Germany under subsidiary protection or due to a national ban on deportation and still have a valid passport from your home country, you can use this passport to travel abroad and present your German residence permit to be allowed back into Germany. Whether you need a visa for your destination country depends on your country of origin.
Please note: You could lose your residence permit in Germany if you travel to your home country while residing in Germany under subsidiary protection or due to a national ban on deportation. If the Immigration Office learns about your trip, they can initiate a revocation procedure, and you could lose your protection and right of residence in Germany.
In principle, you must not travel abroad during your asylum procedure and when holding a tolerated stay permit ("Duldung"). However, you can try to apply for an exemption– you might be allowed to travel, for example, and go on school trips (for school children). Or spend time with family on important occasions such as weddings or funerals.
Please note: You must definitely apply for your trip abroad to the Immigration Office in advance. You can find the Immigration Office responsible for you at bamf.de. Be sure to submit your application as early as possible, as processing your application can take a long time. Each application is examined individually.
A “Fiktionsbescheinigung” is a document issued when a decision has not yet been made regarding the residence permit for which one has applied, for example, when you want to extend your residence permit or apply for a new one.
In such cases, you will either receive a “Fiktionsbescheinigung” in accordance with Section 81, Paragraph 4 of the Residence Act or Section 81, Paragraph 3 of the Residence Act. With a “Fiktionsbescheinigung” in accordance with Section 81, Paragraph 4 of the Residence Act, you can move freely within the Schengen area and re-enter Germany with your recognised passport or passport substitute. However, the prerequisite for it is that you present the officially issued “Fiktionsbescheinigung” and the third box on page 3 of your “Fiktionsbescheinigung” is checked. Entry and exit stamps are affixed in the passport or passport substitute, not in the “Fiktionsbescheinigung”.
Unfortunately, this rule does not apply to “Fiktionsbescheinigung ” issued in accordance with Section 81, Paragraph 3 of the Residence Act.
A “Fiktionsbescheinigung ”, according to Section 81, Paragraph 3 Residence Act, is issued if you do not yet have a residence permit or your identity has not yet been verified. With a “Fiktionsbescheinigung ” according to Section 81, Paragraph 3 Residence Act, staying in the federal territory and travelling within Germany is permitted. However, re-entry after a stay abroad is not allowed. This “Fiktionsbescheinigung” often reads "gilt nicht für Auslandsreisen" to indicate that the holder is not allowed to travel abroad.
If you believe that your “Fiktionsbescheinigung” was issued incorrectly and needs to be changed, you can contact your local Immigration Office.
Important: If you are not sure what type of “Fiktionsbescheinigung” you have, you can ask your local Immigration Office whether you are allowed to re-enter Germany or not. If you are planning a trip outside the Schengen area, also check with the authorities of the destination country whether you are allowed to enter and leave with the “Fiktionsbescheinigung ”.
Please note that a visa may be required in addition to the “Fiktionsbescheinigung” depending on the destination.
Travel health insurance is a type of insurance that covers your medical treatment costs during your trip. Since German health insurance at best only partially covers medical costs abroad, it always makes sense to take out an affordable travel health insurance that covers medical emergencies abroad. It is important to read the insurance conditions carefully and select the insurance cover according to your individual needs.
If you receive social benefits such as “Bürgergeld” from the Jobcenter, you are legally obliged to report your absence to them in good time. There you can apply for your absence. You can also do so online. After the Jobcenter has checked your application and if your absence is approved, you will receive your “Bürgergeld” and your health insurance payments will continue during your absence. However, if you are away for longer than 3 weeks or cannot be reached by the Jobcenter, your “Bürgergeld” and health insurance benefits will be cut.
If you reside in Germany as an asylum-seeker, recognised refugee, or an individual entitled to subsidiary protection or a national ban on deportation, it is not advisable to your home country. If the Immigration Office or the BAMF learns about you visiting your country, they can initiate a revocation procedure, which could result in you losing your right of residence in Germany.
Blue Passport
If you are recognised as a “refugee” (“Flüchtling”) or “asylum seeker” (“Asylberechtigte*r”) in Germany, you will be issued a so-called “travel document for refugees” ("Reiseausweis für Flüchtlinge"). The travel document is a replacement for the passport from your country of origin or the country you've fled to come to Germany. The “travel document for refugees” is also known as "Convention Pass" ("Konventionspass ") or "Blue Passport" ("Blauer Pass ").
Please note: As an individual entitled to asylum or recognised as a refugee, you cannot apply for a passport from your country of origin. If you do so or visit the embassy of your home country, in principle, you will lose your entitlement to asylum/refugee status and thus your right of residence in Germany.
Residence Permits for Refugees
Here, you will find useful information concerning residence permits for those who have applied for asylum in Germany. You will learn about the existing forms of protection available, the rights associated with them and the regulations regarding residence permit renewal.
If you have fled to Germany for political or humanitarian reasons and would like to stay here, you can apply for asylum. If your asylum application is accepted, you will be issued a residence permit. In Germany, there are three main forms of protection for refugees. As an asylum seeker, you may be recognised as being entitled to asylum, refugee status or subsidiary protection. In addition, the BAMF can also issue you a National Ban on Deportation ("nationales Abschiebungsverbot"). In this case, you will also receive a residence permit.
Public Transportation in Germany
To travel around in Germany, you do not necessarily need a car. You can comfortably move within a city or between cities by buses and trains.
Important: Since May 2023, you can travel throughout Germany with the “Deutschland-Ticket”, also known as the “€49 Ticket”. You can find more information in the “’Deutschland-Ticket’/ €49 Ticket” section below.
Discrimination
Discrimination is prohibited in Germany –nevertheless, many are affected by it. Whether when looking for accommodation, dealing with authorities, at work, schools, doctors' surgeries, during leisure time or with the police. Discrimination can occur in all areas of life. Am I not allowed into the club because I have a disability? Did I not get the job because I wear a headscarf? Are my children treated worse at school because they speak little German? Does the police pick me to check on the long-distance bus because I have a different skin colour? Does the cab driver refuse to take me because I am trans*? Experiences like these lead to feelings of anger, powerlessness and helplessness. Such discrimination also harms social coexistence.
However, you do not need to simply accept discrimination: you have the legal right to defend yourself against it – everyone in Germany does; regardless of their origin or residence status. This right is enshrined in the German Basic Law as one of the human rights. It is also regulated in the General Equal Treatment Act ("Allgemeinen Gleichbehandlungsgesetz" or AGG). You can take legal action against discrimination - and in certain cases, it is worthwhile to do so.
Call Pro Asyl's Hotline at 069-242 314 20 and benefit from their legal advice in German and English.
On our local page, you can find counselling centres nearby. Enter the name of your city and what you are looking for in the search box and find the service you need in your area.
Reach out to the Federal Refugee Council in your state and seek legal advice.