Khaama Press
December 18, 2015

Over 320 Afghan migrants based in Germany have applied for voluntary repatriation to Afghanistan, it has been reported.

The applications for voluntary repatriation by Germany-based Afghan migrants were reportedly filed during the past two months.

The Afghan Ambassador based in Berlin Hamid Sediqi quoted in a report by state-run Deutsche Welle international broadcaster said the number of Afghan migrants applying for voluntary repatriation is on the rise.

He said over 320 Afghan migrants have applied to Afghan consulates in Munich and Bonn as well as in the Afghan Embassy in Berlin to obtain passports so that they can travel back to Afghanistan.

Sediq further added that the Afghan Embassy and Consulates will charge Euro 120 against each passport by ascertaining their identity first; however he said they will issue the passports free of charge if they applicants did not have enough funds.

According to Sediq, majority of the applicants applying for voluntary repatriation are between 15 to 25 years of age and majority of them are keen to return to Afghanistan since they find living in Germany in contrast to their expectations and what they had heard before travelling to Germany.

He said the families of the migrants are based in Afghanistan and one of the other reasons forcing them to return to Afghanistan is being away from their families.

Sediq also added that the applicants do not have any issue with the basis necessities for living including arrangement of German language courses by the authorities despite the laws differ in different states of Germany.

At least 146,000 Afghans have reportedly left the country during the current year, mainly due to deteriorating security situation with majority of them departing towards European countries, particularly Germany.

The considerable growth in the number of asylum seekers forced Germany to launch a campaign in capital Kabul last month in a bid to deter the flow refugees from Afghanistan.

Several posters appeared in the populated parts of the city today, delivering Germany’s message in both Dari and Pashto languages.

“You are leaving Afghanistan: Are you certain?” reads the message posted on one of the billboards, while a short statement posted on the Facebook page of the campaign, reads “Do not believe the rumors and false information deliberately spread by human traffickers about the allegedly easy trip and the easy life in Germany. Do not risk your lives by trying to flee to Europe. Human traffickers are criminals who are only interested in money. They don’t tell the truth and don’t care about human lives.”