One year after Berlin suspended ordinary family-reunification for refugees holding subsidiary protection, new parliamentary data reveal how narrow the promised ‘hardship’ pathway has become. In response to a question by Left-party MP Clara Bünger, the Foreign Office confirmed that up to mid-June 2026 just ten hardship visas had been issued—covering a mere four families—out of more than 5,000 applications. The figures have angered humanitarian groups and parts of the coalition’s junior partner SPD, which originally backed the 2025 suspension on the understanding that life-threatening or exceptionally distressing cases could still be fast-tracked. Refugee lawyers cite examples such as a Syrian single mother whose teenage son needs a stem-cell transplant unavailable in Damascus but who has repeatedly been refused entry to Germany. Officials from the Interior and Foreign Ministries told the Bundestag’s Internal Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the criteria remain strict by design: applicants must show an immediate risk to life or permanent health impairment and prove there are no treatment options in their home country. They added that every application undergoes individual security vetting and medical review, which inevitably slows decisions. For employers, the numbers matter because family-reunification is a key retention tool for skilled workers recruited from refugee populations. If spouses and children cannot follow, new hires may look for opportunities elsewhere in the EU. HR departments should therefore factor the current stand-still into relocation offers and consider alternative residence routes, such as the EU Family Permit for recognised refugees in other Member States. Politically, the revelation heaps pressure on Chancellor Merz’s black-red coalition. The SPD and Greens are demanding a review before the two-year suspension expires in July 2027, while the opposition Left party wants the ban lifted immediately. Any policy shift would directly affect consular workloads at German missions in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Kenya, where most applications originate.
Source: Frankfurter Rundschau
