Germany offers Afghans 10,000 euros not to come to it
The German government has started offering financial incentives to Afghan citizens in Pakistan to convince them not to move to Germany, even though they previously obtained the right to resettle there. According to the Welt newspaper, the German Ministry of the Interior sent letters to several Afghans who had been approved for transfer under previous resettlement programs, including financial offers in exchange for their voluntary withdrawal from the program.
In one case, the message included an offer of €10,000 as a 'start-up bonus' for individuals who agree to return to Afghanistan instead of moving to Germany, along with €2,500 as assistance for leaving Pakistan. Another case was reported involving a family of four that was offered a total amount of €14,250 as a mix of immediate payments and assistance upon arrival.
The ministry confirmed the validity of this step, explaining that it comes within the framework of the 'Voluntary Return Program', aimed at 'providing future prospects for individuals who can no longer expect to be accepted in Germany'. It is noted that there are currently about 2,100 Afghans in Pakistan waiting to be transferred to Germany after fleeing their country following the Taliban's takeover in 2021.
Many of these Afghans had been promised resettlement due to their work or ties to German missions and organizations. However, the new government, led by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the Christian Social Union (CSU), halted the reception process since May 2025. The German embassy in Islamabad also stopped issuing visas or canceled previously granted visas.
Despite this setback, German courts have repeatedly ruled in favor of Afghans and ordered authorities to carry out transport operations. Since Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) took over the government, four transport flights have been carried out, during which 110 Afghan refugees were brought to Germany, the latest being a flight to Hanover that included 31 people.
According to the Welt newspaper, beneficiaries were asked to respond to financial offers by mid-November, and if they accept, they must sign a document withdrawing from the resettlement program permanently, with no possibility of reapplying in the future. This step represents a clear retreat from Germany's previous humanitarian commitments and has sparked widespread criticism from human rights organizations.