Cologne immigration office apparently prevents 500 deportations

An incident in North Rhine-Westphalia has been sparking nationwide debate for several days : The city of Cologne is alleged to have rejected an offer of administrative assistance from the state to deport approximately 500 people from the Western Balkan states who are required to leave the country. The CDU party is calling it a "real scandal," and the state government has ordered an investigation. What initially sounds like an isolated case of migration policy reveals a structural problem that extends far beyond Cologne: German Immigration authorities handle their tasks very differently – with noticeable consequences even for well-integrated individuals. Professionals , students and families who need to rely on a functioning administration.

According to reports in the "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger", the headquarters offered The Coesfeld Immigration Office (ZAB) offered the City of Cologne assistance in obtaining return travel documents for approximately 500 individuals from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia who were legally obligated to leave the country. These countries are legally considered "safe countries of origin" under asylum law, which typically significantly speeds up asylum procedures. However, Cologne declined the assistance, arguing that the individuals in question were enrolled in the city's residency program and that their temporary suspension of deportation was intended to be converted into permanent residency. The practice of transferring residence permits is based, among other things, on the right-to-remain provision of Section 25b of the Residence Act. The city is currently investigating whether this procedure was lawful in the specific case; a final decision is still pending.

The Cologne case is initially a dispute about the proper handling of persons subject to enforceable deportation orders. For our client from the USA , However, Great Britain and other countries are worth a second look: they exemplify how different German Immigration authorities operate and how much administrative capacity and prioritization can influence the processing time of each application – even that of a highly qualified applicant. Specialist with signed Employment contract . Those who seek legal advice early on, prepare their documents in a manner appropriate to the authorities, and, if necessary, are also aware of legal means of exerting pressure such as an action for failure to act, gain a decisive advantage.