Germany is increasingly revoking refugee status for Syrian citizens. In the first half of 2026, nearly one in four protection reviews ended with a withdrawal of that status, according to a response from the German Executive to a question posed in Parliament.
The data from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) indicate that 23.2% of the 8,320 reviews conducted in the first half of the year concluded with the withdrawal or revocation of some type of protection.
In the majority of affected cases, the decision involved the loss of refugee status or the so-called subsidiary protection.
In contrast, in 2025 only 3.7% of Syrians subjected to this type of review saw their protection withdrawn, while in 2024 the percentage was 3.1%.
The revocation occurs when the circumstances that initially justified the granting of protection cease to exist, especially if the situation in the country of origin undergoes a profound change.
In more exceptional cases, the status is revoked when it is discovered that the person provided false information about their origin or the reasons for their flight during the asylum procedure.
After the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad in December 2024, hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees began returning to their country, mainly from Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan. However, security remains precarious in certain areas of Syria, and there have been episodes of violence among different sectarian groups.
Initially, the BAMF only opened revocation files concerning individuals convicted of crimes and so-called dangerous persons, as well as in those cases where authorities were aware of return trips to Syria.
According to the Government's response to an inquiry from the Left Party, the BAMF began in mid-June to "gradually expand the revocation activity" to certain groups, in light of the improvement in the humanitarian situation in Syria.
According to the information provided, these groups include individuals whose asylum procedures have lasted more than 21 months, as well as those who are not considered particularly vulnerable and who, in principle, should be able to support themselves or have a sufficient support network in Syria.