Withdrawing the protection status of Syrian refugees in Germany does not mean that deportation will be implemented directly, as German laws provide multiple legal paths that may lead to delaying the implementation of deportation decisions for long periods.
Estimates published by the German newspaper Bild indicate that the period between the start of the protection status review and the implementation of potential deportation may reach 42 months, or about three and a half years.
According to the newspaper, the end of the reasons on which protection was based, such as the improvement of conditions in Syria or the end of the conflict, does not automatically mean that the person has left the country, because the law gives him the right to object and appeal the decisions issued against him before the judicial and administrative authorities.
A series of procedures that may extend for years
The process begins with a review by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) to examine whether the justification for protection still exists. According to the model on which the newspaper relied, this step takes about three months before the decision to withdraw protection is issued.
If the decision is issued, the concerned person can appeal to the Administrative Court. Estimates indicate that this lawsuit may take about 15.5 months, including the duration of litigation and the time required for the ruling to acquire final legal status.
The newspaper also reported that the average duration of procedures related to the files of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees exceeded 14 months in Germany during the year 2025, and reached 19.4 months in Berlin and 15.6 months in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
After the end of this stage, the case is transferred to the competent Foreigners Department, which studies the impact of withdrawing protection on the right to residence. The duration of these procedures is estimated at approximately six months before a decision to terminate residency is issued.
Appeals and urgent requests
The legal options do not end there, as the decision of the Aliens Department can also be appealed. According to the scenario presented by the newspaper, a new lawsuit may be filed in conjunction with an urgent request aimed at temporarily halting deportation.
In this model, the urgent request procedures take about two months, while the main lawsuit continues before the court for about an additional 14 months, before the ruling becomes final after another month.
After all legal paths are completed, the stage of preparation for deportation begins, which includes obtaining travel documents, coordination with the authorities of the country of origin, and arranging the return process, which procedures may take about an additional six weeks.
The Bild report concluded that the total of these stages could reach 42 months between the start of the protection review and the implementation of the deportation. The newspaper estimated the legal costs at about 3,450 euros, with the state being able to bear these expenses if the person concerned is unable to pay them.
She also indicated that the value of social assistance during this period may amount to about 23,484 euros, in addition to the costs of housing, heating, and health care.
Commenting on this issue, Daniel Thiem, professor of foreigners and asylum law at the University of Constance, called on legislators to find solutions to address this problem, while Vice-President of the Christian Union parliamentary bloc, Gunter Krings, considered that the complexity of foreigners’ laws opened the way for exploiting legal loopholes and prolonging procedures.
