Not Syria but Afghans in a fake marriage with an Afghan woman, a dramatic turn in the case
A major scandal erupted in the city of Graz after it was revealed that a refugee used a fake marriage to obtain a residence permit fraudulently. Initially, the man was believed to be Syrian, but it later turned out that he was Afghan and had no legal right to family reunification. Despite clear warnings from the immigration police in Graz, the responsible authorities approved the visa application for his alleged wife.
The Kronen Zeitung newspaper revealed details of this case, considering it a clear example of serious administrative failure in the Styrian authorities. The case quickly turned into a heated political battle between the FPÖ and ÖVP parties. The Secretary General of the FPÖ, Michael Schnedlitz, described the case as a "textbook example of government failure," while Nico Marchetti from the ÖVP party responded by saying that the real embarrassment lies with the Styrian governor from the FPÖ, Mario Kunasek, under whose responsibility the residence was issued.
On Monday, Governor Konasik himself commented on the case, confirming that he ordered an immediate review as soon as he learned of the incident. The review resulted in a shocking surprise: the man who claimed to be Syrian is actually Afghan and only has "subsidiary protection," not full asylum rights. Konasik stated, "Based on this, there is no legal basis for family reunification." After this discovery, the authorities in Styria informed the Austrian embassy in Islamabad not to grant the woman a visa to enter Austria.
Konasek emphasized that he expects a comprehensive investigation to uncover how the system is being exploited in this way. He added: "Abuse of asylum must be combated by all available means," calling on authorities to apply stricter scrutiny in such cases. He pointed out that the incident revealed serious gaps in the immigration control system.
As the Kronen newspaper clarified in its subsequent report, the Afghan man married his compatriot online in 2022, not during a personal visit as previously mentioned. Later this year, he applied for family reunification in the Graz area, but the officials there failed to verify his true status. The Ministry of the Interior criticized the authorities in Styria, stating: "There can be no talk of a thorough and responsible examination of the residence permit application." The ministry confirmed that the Styria authorities exceeded their powers, as they should have referred the case to the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, which would have rejected the application outright.