A decision on your asylum application

What this letter is

A Bescheid from the BAMF is the decision on your asylum application. It states the outcome and the reasons for it.

The outcome may be recognition, a lesser form of protection, or a rejection — and rejections come in more than one form, which affects what happens next.

Why this letter is urgent

Periods for responding to a BAMF Bescheid are short, and in some cases they are counted in days rather than weeks. Missing one can end the possibility of challenging the decision.

This is the letter type where getting to a qualified person quickly matters most. Do not wait to understand it fully before seeking help — take it to someone.

For a letter of this kind, get help from a person rather than acting alone. A Migrationsberatung (migration counselling service), a Sozialberatung, a Verbraucherzentrale, or a lawyer can read the actual letter and tell you what your options are. Many of these services are free.

The deadline that applies to you is printed on your own letter — usually near the top or at the end of the section describing what you must do. Look for a date, or a phrase such as „innerhalb von zwei Wochen“ (within two weeks) or „bis zum“ (by). Do not rely on a period you read online, including here: the same letter type carries different deadlines depending on why it was sent.