Apply for Benefits Under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act
Service description
If you are not a German citizen, are not a citizen of any EU member state, and are residing in Germany, you may be eligible to receive benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, subject to certain conditions. These include so-called basic benefits, benefits in the event of illness, pregnancy, and childbirth, as well as other benefits.
Basic benefits are intended to cover the necessary expenses for maintaining a standard of living. This includes, for example, food, housing, heating, clothing, personal hygiene, and household goods. In addition, benefits may be provided to cover necessary personal needs, with the aim of ensuring participation in social life.
Benefits for pregnancy and childbirth also cover additional needs for expectant mothers. These may include, for example, maternity clothes or a starter kit for the baby (such as diapers and a diaper bag).
Health services are intended to ensure that you receive medical care if you are not insured by a health insurance provider. Medical care refers to treatment by a doctor when you are acutely ill or in pain. In addition, you can receive the necessary vaccinations (such as against the flu) and medically recommended preventive checkups. Preventive checkups are regular examinations designed to detect and treat diseases at an early stage.
Other benefits are intended specifically for special cases. These may include special benefits to cover living expenses or meet the needs of children, such as providing school supplies and integration assistance for children with disabilities. Integration assistance helps individuals participate in community life. Benefits may also be available to cover certain interpreter fees and the costs of obtaining a passport.
You may be eligible for these benefits if your available income and assets have been exhausted or are insufficient, and you do not receive benefits under SGB II or SGB XII. If you do not live alone, the income of family members with whom you live will be taken into account. In this context, family members include your partner or spouse, as well as your (minor) children.
Benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act may be provided in the form of in-kind or cash benefits. Depending on your housing situation and your location, the type and amount of benefits granted may vary. In addition to being provided as benefits in kind or cash, payments may also be made in the form of gift certificates or in other ways.
The cost of housing and heating is generally taken into account by the responsible agency when calculating your benefits. Whether the assistance is provided in the form of cash or in-kind benefits depends on the circumstances of your individual case. The amount of benefits granted is adjusted regularly and is scaled according to age and living situation.
Procedure
You can apply for benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act without using a specific form. We recommend that you schedule a personal consultation with your local office. Please bring all required documents with you to the appointment.
- You can submit your application to your local office or through the online portal.
- They submit the required documentation.
- The competent authority will review your application and calculate your needs.
- The competent authority will decide on your application and notify you of the outcome. You will receive a formal notice to that effect from the competent authority.
- If your application is approved, you will receive a notice of approval. If it is denied, you will receive a notice of denial.
- In both cases, the notice states the reasons for the decision. It also includes information about the option to appeal the decision. In addition, it specifies the deadline by which you may file an appeal.
- The approval notice specifies the amount of the benefit to be paid and the start date of payments. Starting on the date specified, the benefits to which you are entitled will generally be provided by the responsible agency at the beginning of each month. The method of payment may vary depending on the individual case; for example, it may be made via bank transfer, cash payment, payment order for direct debit, cash card, cashier’s check, or gift certificates.
- For health care services: Depending on which agency is responsible for your case, you will receive either a treatment voucher or an electronic health card.
- Treatment Voucher: Present the treatment voucher to your doctor within the specified time frame to receive treatment. If you need additional medical services, you will generally need to submit a new application. For more information about the benefits and the treatment voucher, please contact your insurance provider.
- Electronic Health Card: Present your health card to your doctor, and you will receive treatment. If you need additional medical services, you can see your doctor directly without having to submit a new application.
Please note: You are required to immediately report any changes in your personal or financial circumstances to the relevant authority.
Prerequisites
- You are from a third country and are not a citizen of an EU country.
- They are staying in Germany.
- You meet one of the following criteria
- You have been granted temporary residence authorization under the Asylum Act.
- You want to enter the country via an airport, but entry is not (yet) permitted.
- You have a residence permit under Sections 23(1), 24, or 25(4), sentence 1, of the Residence Act (AufenthG).
- You have a residence permit under Section 25(5) of the Residence Act, provided that the decision to suspend your deportation was made within the last 18 months.
- You have a temporary residence permit under Section 60a of the Residence Act.
- Your temporary residence permit has expired.
- You are the spouse, domestic partner, or minor child of the persons mentioned above.
- You are filing a follow-up application under § 71 of the Asylum Act or a second application under § 71a of the Asylum Act.
- You have applied for a residence permit but have not yet received a decision from the Immigration Office.
- You have exhausted your disposable income and assets, or these are insufficient to cover your living expenses.
- You are not eligible for benefits under the Basic Income Support for Job Seekers (SGB II) or for subsistence assistance or basic income support under Book XII of the Social Code (SGB XII).
- You are not eligible for statutory health insurance (such as family coverage).
When submitting an application to a local government agency, you must have your habitual residence in that municipality or be assigned to it.
What documents are required?
- Completed Application
- Proof of current residence (e.g., passport, residence permit, temporary stay permit)
- Proof of assets (for example, bank statements for accounts and investments in Germany and abroad, vehicles, jewelry, real estate)
- Proof of income for all family members in the household (for example, pay stubs, pension statements, child benefit, BAföG, advance child support payments)
- Proof of health and long-term care insurance, if applicable
- Performance-related documentation, if applicable
- Prenatal Record Book
- School Certificate
- Cost Estimates
- Regarding obligations to cooperate under administrative law: Notices and requests from the Immigration Office
- If applicable, proof of insurance and travel expenses (for those who are employed)
- If applicable, proof of previous social benefits (termination notice from the Job Center, employment notices from other municipalities)
- If applicable, a lease agreement and documentation of current rent, heating costs, and electricity charges
- If applicable, marriage certificate, divorce decree, proof of spousal support
If applicable, proof of visitation rights (for parents living apart within the country)
What deadlines do I have to observe?
You can receive these benefits if the agency determines that you need assistance.
You must comply with the deadlines set by the competent authority for submitting documents. If, for valid reasons, you are unable to do so, you must request an extension. Otherwise, the competent authority may deny you the benefit due to your failure to comply with your legal obligation to cooperate.
This also applies to the deadlines for filing an appeal—that is, if you disagree with the decision, whether it is a denial or an approval (regarding the amount of the resulting benefit entitlement).
Legal basis