Since July 2025, Austria has carried out several removals of convicted Syrian criminals to their home country. Voluntary departures of individuals from Syria to their home country has also been encouraged. Around 900 Syrian citizens have voluntarily left Austria since the beginning of 2022, with 644 voluntary returns in 2025 since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 (an increase of 500%). In 2024, there were around 100 voluntary departures of Syrians.
The Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA) initiated measures to support voluntary departures immediately after the fall of the Assad regime.
There have been around 500 removals of Afghan nationals since the beginning of 2022. The majority were Dublin transfers to other EU countries, but there were also more than 180 voluntary departures.
Further removals to Syria are currently in preparation.
- Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum | Bundesamt für Fremdenwesen und Asylm (6 October, 2025), Rund 2.200 Außerlandesbringungen von Menschen aus Syrien und Afghanistan aus Österreich seit 2022 [Around 2.200 returns of Syrian and Afghan nationals from Austria since 2022],