When you arrived in Bremen, following steps are necessary for the asylum procedure: \n 1. Registration \n You have to register with a reception centre like the Central Reception Centre (“Zentrale Aufnahmestelle” – ZAST ). You should bring all your documents with you. At the reception centre fingerprints and passport photos will be taken. Afterwards, you will get a list (“Laufzettel”) with various tasks; you have to, for example, get in contact with certain institutions. You will receive a confirmation called “Auskunftsnachweis”, which proves that you are authorised to stay in Germany and to receive public services. After your registration you will get an accommodation. \n Central Reception Centre ( Zentrale Aufnahmestelle (ZAST) ) \nLindenstraße 110\n28755 Bremen \n 2. Appy for a consultation at BAMF \n If the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees ( Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) ) does not contact you, you have to apply for a consultation at BAMF. At the consultation it will be decided, whether and how long you are allowed to stay in Germany. \n Federal Office for Migration and Refugees ( Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) ) \nLindenstraße 110\n28755 Bremen \n 3. Complete the tasks of your “Laufzettel” from the Central Reception Centre (“Zentrale Aufnahmestelle” – ZAST): \n On the document you received from the initial reception centre are various tasks. You should complete the tasks one by one. Examples of this task are: \n – Make a medical appointment and visit a doctor\n– Go to official institutions (for example the migration centre (“ Migrationsamt “) or the city office (” BürgerServiceCenter “)\n– Pick up all services you got approved for (for example tickets for the public transport)\n– If necessary, make further appointments \n 4. Consultation \n During your consultation you have to explain why and how you came to Germany. You are allowed to bring a caregiver or an translator along. After the consultation the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees ( Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) ) will check your application for asylum and will inform you about their decision. You get a temporary resident permit (“Aufenthaltsgestattung”) until you receive the decision. \n ** If you have questions about your arrival in Bremen and the asylum procedure, please ask for additional assistance from independent information centres. For more information click here . ** \n 5. Residence obligation \n You are not allowed to go outside of your residential district until the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees ( Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) ) has decided. The BAMF can take several decisions: \n You receive a residence permit (“Asylgestattung”)\nYou receive a temporary resident permit (provisional asylum – “vorläufiges Asyl”)\nYou receive a exceptional leave to remain or a “Duldung” (asylum application is withdrawn) \n The decision of the BAMF affects the further procedure in your case. \n

Unaccompanied refugee minors

The “Initial Reception Centre for Unaccompanied Minor Foreigners” specialises in unaccompanied minor refugees. This means that all refugees and immigrants under the age of 18 who came to Germany on their own can live here first of all. \n The Youth Welfare Office ( Jugendamt ) takes care of all children and adolescents who are younger than 18 and have not come to Germany with their parents (or guardians). After the initial admission, they will first be taken into care by the Youth Welfare Office. This means that the Youth Welfare Office will find them a safe accommodation and will keep on looking after them. This includes giving them something to eat, enough clothes, medical care and social care. However, the Youth Welfare Office has nothing to do with the asylum application. They do not decide how long you can stay in Germany. \n The Youth Welfare Office assigns you a person who is legally responsible for you ( a guardian). In most cases, you will then live in a facility until you are 18 years old. Other young people also live in this institution. There are also guardians who are always there for you. They help you with your everyday life, for example with your homework or visits to the doctor. The counsellors also support you in private matters, for example if you want to contact your family. Don’t be afraid to talk to the counsellors if you have questions or problems! \n Initial Reception Centre (EAE) for Unaccompanied Minor Foreigners (umA)\nSteinsetzerstrasse 12\n28279 Bremen\nPhone: +49 421 98964840 \n Initial care centre of the Youth Welfare Office for unaccompanied minor foreigners\nBreitenweg 29-33\n28195 Bremen\nTel.: +49 421 36117040 \n

The first time after your arrival

During the first time refugees are accommodated in reception centres for immigrants. Depending on your country of origin you are accommodated in such an institution for up to six months or until the decision about your application is taken. \n During your stay in an accommodation you are supplied with food, clothes, toiletries, health services and further individual services for you and your children. If you have important appointments, you receive tickets for the tramway and the bus. Moreover, you receive an amount of money each month to cover your personal needs. These services are regulated by the “Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz”. You also have the right to receive these services in your next accommodation. You find the information about where and when you get your money on the documents from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (“Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge” – BAMF). You can use the money for example to do something in your free time. In Bremen there are a lot of different offers for recreation and culture activities, which are partly for free. \n As soon as you are legally recognized as refugee you are allowed to move and reside freely throughout Germany. You do not have to stay in Bremen. If you want to travel to another German state, inform yourself about the costs you have to bear yourself. \n The people who work in your accommodation will be pleased to help you with questions. Apart from your accommodation you can receive support from counselling offices in Bremen as well. \n ** If you are legally recognized as a refugee, in most cases you get a residence permit for three years. Afterwards it will be checked again, whether the circumstances in your home country have changed or not. If you keep the entitlement of asylum, you are allowed to apply for a permanent residence permit (“Niederlassungserlaubnis”). This permission is valid unlimited – even if the situation in your home country becomes stable, you do not have to leave Germany with a permanent residence permit. ** \n

Welcome to Bremen.

We would like to help you with the most important steps and help you to arrive safely here in Bremen. The road is not always easy and in many situations it is not clear what to do. For these situations there are various information centres, which can be found on this website. This guide summarises the most important first steps and contact points:

1. Arriving
2. Medical help
3. German language classes
4. Housing
5. Work

If you fled from the Ukraine to Bremen / Bremerhaven, you will find information at
www.welcometobremen.de/ukraine.

1. Arriving

Is Bremen the first city in Germany you have arrived in? Then you must officially register in Bremen.

Do you want to apply for asylum in Germany? Then you must register as an asylum seeker. If you register as an asylum seeker, it will be checked whether you are allowed to stay in Germany for a longer period of time. You must apply for asylum if you want to stay in Germany. In Bremen, you can register as an asylum seeker with the police or here:

Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (“Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge” – BAMF)
Lindenstraße 110
28755 Bremen

Migration Office (“Migrationsamt”)
Stresemannstraße 48
28207 Bremen
Tel.: +49 421 36188630

Central Reception Centre (“Zentrale Aufnahmestelle für Asylbewerber und Flüchtlinge (ZAST)“)
Lindenstraße 110
28755 Bremen

You can find more information on arrival and registration on the BAMF website.

When you arrived in Bremen, following steps are necessary for the asylum procedure:

1. Registration

You have to register with a reception centre like the Central Reception Centre (“Zentrale Aufnahmestelle” – ZAST). You should bring all your documents with you. At the reception centre fingerprints and passport photos will be taken. Afterwards, you will get a list (“Laufzettel”) with various tasks; you have to, for example, get in contact with certain institutions. You will receive a confirmation called “Auskunftsnachweis”, which proves that you are authorised to stay in Germany and to receive public services. After your registration you will get an accommodation.

Central Reception Centre (Zentrale Aufnahmestelle (ZAST))
Lindenstraße 110
28755 Bremen

2. Appy for a consultation at BAMF

If the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees ( Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)) does not contact you, you have to apply for a consultation at BAMF. At the consultation it will be decided, whether and how long you are allowed to stay in Germany.

Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF))
Lindenstraße 110
28755 Bremen

3. Complete the tasks of your “Laufzettel” from the Central Reception Centre (“Zentrale Aufnahmestelle” – ZAST):

On the document you received from the initial reception centre are various tasks. You should complete the tasks one by one. Examples of this task are:

– Make a medical appointment and visit a doctor
– Go to official institutions (for example the migration centre (“Migrationsamt“) or the city office (” BürgerServiceCenter“)
– Pick up all services you got approved for (for example tickets for the public transport)
– If necessary, make further appointments

4. Consultation

During your consultation you have to explain why and how you came to Germany. You are allowed to bring a caregiver or an translator along. After the consultation the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)) will check your application for asylum and will inform you about their decision. You get a temporary resident permit (“Aufenthaltsgestattung”) until you receive the decision.

** If you have questions about your arrival in Bremen and the asylum procedure, please ask for additional assistance from independent information centres. For more information click here. **

5. Residence obligation

You are not allowed to go outside of your residential district until the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)) has decided. The BAMF can take several decisions:

You receive a residence permit (“Asylgestattung”)
You receive a temporary resident permit (provisional asylum – “vorläufiges Asyl”)
You receive a exceptional leave to remain or a “Duldung” (asylum application is withdrawn)

The decision of the BAMF affects the further procedure in your case.
The “Initial Reception Centre for Unaccompanied Minor Foreigners” specialises in unaccompanied minor refugees. This means that all refugees and immigrants under the age of 18 who came to Germany on their own can live here first of all.

The Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) takes care of all children and adolescents who are younger than 18 and have not come to Germany with their parents (or guardians). After the initial admission, they will first be taken into care by the Youth Welfare Office. This means that the Youth Welfare Office will find them a safe accommodation and will keep on looking after them. This includes giving them something to eat, enough clothes, medical care and social care. However, the Youth Welfare Office has nothing to do with the asylum application. They do not decide how long you can stay in Germany.

The Youth Welfare Office assigns you a person who is legally responsible for you ( a guardian). In most cases, you will then live in a facility until you are 18 years old. Other young people also live in this institution. There are also guardians who are always there for you. They help you with your everyday life, for example with your homework or visits to the doctor. The counsellors also support you in private matters, for example if you want to contact your family. Don’t be afraid to talk to the counsellors if you have questions or problems!

Initial Reception Centre (EAE) for Unaccompanied Minor Foreigners (umA)
Steinsetzerstrasse 12
28279 Bremen
Phone: +49 421 98964840

Initial care centre of the Youth Welfare Office for unaccompanied minor foreigners
Breitenweg 29-33
28195 Bremen
Tel.: +49 421 36117040
During the first time refugees are accommodated in reception centres for immigrants. Depending on your country of origin you are accommodated in such an institution for up to six months or until the decision about your application is taken.

During your stay in an accommodation you are supplied with food, clothes, toiletries, health services and further individual services for you and your children. If you have important appointments, you receive tickets for the tramway and the bus. Moreover, you receive an amount of money each month to cover your personal needs. These services are regulated by the “Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz”. You also have the right to receive these services in your next accommodation. You find the information about where and when you get your money on the documents from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (“Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge” – BAMF). You can use the money for example to do something in your free time. In Bremen there are a lot of different offers for recreation and culture activities, which are partly for free.

As soon as you are legally recognized as refugee you are allowed to move and reside freely throughout Germany. You do not have to stay in Bremen. If you want to travel to another German state, inform yourself about the costs you have to bear yourself.

The people who work in your accommodation will be pleased to help you with questions. Apart from your accommodation you can receive support from counselling offices in Bremen as well.

** If you are legally recognized as a refugee, in most cases you get a residence permit for three years. Afterwards it will be checked again, whether the circumstances in your home country have changed or not. If you keep the entitlement of asylum, you are allowed to apply for a permanent residence permit (“Niederlassungserlaubnis”). This permission is valid unlimited – even if the situation in your home country becomes stable, you do not have to leave Germany with a permanent residence permit. **

2. Health Care

Once you have submitted a request for asylum at a reception centre (for example the ZAST – “Zentrale Aufnahmestelle”), you get an appointment for medical examination. In this medical examination vaccinations will be refreshed. Moreover, a doctor checks, whether you unknowingly suffer from tuberculosis. In case of health problems, pregnancies or a childbirth, refugees directly receive medical care. You get a replacement card from the ZAST, which is valid for three months until your stay in Bremen is clarified. Afterwards you get a health card.

In cases of emergency you can go to a doctor or into a hospital without a medical treatment certificate.

We have listed information and contact points regarding the subject health here.

3. German Courses

You live in Bremen and want to learn German quickly. That’s important to get to know new people, to communicate in everyday life, to find work or to educate yourself. Also children have to speak German to go to school.

There are a lot of possibilities to learn German. Here we present you a different institutions, where you can learn German. Please keep in mind, that you need a certificate of eligibility (“Berechtigungsschein”). Please contact the immigration authority (“Ausländerbehörde”) or the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (“Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge” – BAMF) to receive a “Berechtigungsschein”. Some of the language courses are connected with integration courses, which help you to integrate yourself into the society of Bremen.

Migration office (“Migrationsamt”)
Stresemannstraße 48
28207 Bremen
Tel.: +49 421 36188630

Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF))
Lindenstraße 110
28755 Bremen

4. Housing

If you are recognized as a refugee from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (“Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge” – BAMF), you have the possibility to leave your present accommodation and to move into an own apartment. You can move into an apartment on your own or together with your family. In doing so, a housing association like the BREBAU or the GEWOBA can support you. Of course, you can also move into a shared living arrangement (“Wohngemeinschaft” – WG). On the page “Flüchtlinge Willkommen” it is described, how you can find a shared living arrangement. On the page “WG-Gesucht”, you can look for a room in a shared living arrangement or place a request. In the case of questions or difficulties please contact appropriate counselling offices or the people, who work in your current accommodation.

5. Work

If you want to work in Germany, you need a work permit (“Arbeitserlaubnis”). It is often necessary, that your professional qualifications, which you have acquired in your home country, are recognized in Germany. Moreover, you must have a good knowledge of the German language. On our website you can find offers in Bremen, which will help you to work in Germany. Especially the Central Information Point for Refugees (“Zentrale Anlaufstelle für Flüchtlinge” – ZAF) of the job centre Bremen will support you in finding a job.

Central Information Point for Refugees (“Zentrale Anlaufstelle für Flüchtlinge” – ZAF)
Utbremer Straße 90
28217 Bremen
Tel: +49 421 56600

Welcome to Bremen.

1.

Arriving

The asylum procedure

Unaccompanied refugee minors

The first time after your arrival

2.

Health Care

3.

German Courses

4.

Housing

5.

Work