Benefits for Asylum Seekers

Landesamt für Flüchtlingsangelegenheiten (LAF) (State Office for Refugee Affairs)

Sozialamt (Social Welfare Office (depending on the district))

Benefits for asylum seekers are financial support for certain people if you are in need of assistance and live in Germany. The amount of support depends entirely on your personal situation.

You can apply for benefits for asylum seekers, for example, if:

• you have applied for asylum and have an Aufenthaltsgestattung (temporary residence permit for asylum seekers)
• you have a Duldung (temporary suspension of deportation)
• or you have a humanitarian residence permit (for example under § 23 (1), 24, or 25 (4) or (5) of the Residence Act (AufenthG))

Benefits for asylum seekers also apply to family members living with you. Children can also receive benefits for asylum seekers. It is best to visit a counseling center for advice.

You must be in need of help, which means you may have little or no income and usually may not own more than €200. If you receive benefits for asylum seekers, you usually cannot receive other social benefits.

You fill out two forms: the application form and an additional attachment. You then bring all documents with you in person during the opening hours.

The money is paid out in cash or transferred to a bank account.

Do you not have a bank account yet? At Handbook Germany, you can find out how to open one.

Infos zum Bankkonto

Asylum seekers do not have comprehensive health insurance, but they do receive support for illnesses, pain, pregnancy and childbirth, as well as important medical examinations and vaccinations. Dental prostheses are only covered in very rare exceptional cases. The Sozialamt (Social Welfare Office) or the LAF applies for an electronic health insurance card (eGK) for you. For this, you usually need a digital passport photo. The employee at the Sozialamt or the LAF will explain the procedure to you when you submit your application. With the eGK, you can visit a doctor of your choice, who will treat you free of charge and prescribe medication if needed.

There is no deadline. However, you will only receive the money starting from the day you submit the application. No payments are made for past periods.

The application for benefits for asylum seekers is free of charge.

The amount of money can be reduced. This can happen, for example, if you gave incorrect information about your identity or nationality, or if you did not hand in your passport .

If you are supposed to receive less money, the authority will send you a written decision explaining this. You may also receive less benefits for asylum seekers if you or family members living with you have income from a job.

If you work and earn your own money to live on, you will receive less or no benefits for asylum seekers because you are able to support yourself.