Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser travelled with Austrian Federal Minister of the Interior Gerhard Karner to Damascus to meet with the Interior Minister of the Syrian transitional government, Anas Khattab.
The focus of their meeting is the current security situation and further stabilisation of Syria as well as prospects for the return of Syrian refugees. Germany and Austria are working jointly to ensure that serious offenders and criminals with Syrian citizenship can be returned to Syria as quickly as possible.
In January 2025, the Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser presented a four-point plan on the return prospects of Syrian nationals in the event of stabilisation and peaceful developments in Syria: Criminals and offenders posing a serious threat should be returned as quickly as possible. Well-integrated Syrians who work in Germany and have learnt German should be able to stay.
The Federal Government supports voluntary return to Syria and has expanded its corresponding programme. Grants of protection must be reviewed by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees if the situation in Syria has stabilised and the persons concerned have no right of residence for other reasons such as work or education and does not return to Syria voluntarily. This review is required by law.
According to the Central Register of Foreigners, there were 968,899 Syrian nationals living in Germany at the end of March 2025.