Family Reunification Stopped: More Than 3,600 Syrians on the Waiting List

While in September 2024, 400 Syrian relatives received an entry permit, in January 2025, it was only 14. This is according to a response from the Ministry of the Interior to a request from SPÖ Member of Parliament Christian Oxonitsch.

The background to this drastic reduction is the changed handling of applications from Syria since the change of power in Damascus. These are currently only being processed in exceptional cases, such as for compelling humanitarian reasons.

Waiting list for family reunification grows to over 3,600 people

The consequences of this political shift are clearly visible: A total of 3,607 Syrians are currently waiting for a decision on their entry application. In comparison: As of January 31, a total of 4,624 applications for family reunification were pending. Particularly noticeable is the increase in entry refusals. In September, there were 40 rejections, in January already 1,865 – of which 1,836 were Syrian citizens.

Afghans now largest group in reunification

Due to the decline in Syrian applications, Afghans now represent the largest group in family reunification with 31 approved entries in January. In total, only 91 people were granted entry for the purpose of family reunification.

The Ministry of the Interior had already tightened controls on family reunification before the upheaval in Syria. For example, DNA tests to verify family ties were increasingly introduced. From July 2024 to January 2025, 45 such tests were subsequently funded by the ministry – totaling 71,547.56 euros. However, according to the ministry, there is no comprehensive statistic on the total number of tests conducted or their results.

(APA/Red)

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