legal and social conditions for asylum seekers and refugees in ...
legal and social conditions for asylum seekers and refugees in ...
legal and social conditions for asylum seekers and refugees in ...
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Extension of Convention status to a refugee’s family member is not conditioned on any hous<strong>in</strong>g<br />
or f<strong>in</strong>ancial requirements. However, <strong>in</strong> the cases where extension of the refugee status is not<br />
possible – <strong>for</strong> example if the marriage took place more than one year after submission of the<br />
<strong>asylum</strong> application – reunification is subject to the <strong>conditions</strong> laid down <strong>in</strong> the Aliens Law, namely<br />
applications submitted abroad, adequate accommodation, sufficient f<strong>in</strong>ancial means <strong>for</strong> the<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>tenance of the family (e.g. lawful employment), free places with<strong>in</strong> a yearly fixed quota <strong>for</strong><br />
family members <strong>and</strong> valid travel documents.<br />
Persons under temporary protection are not entitled to family reunification. However, family unity<br />
was considered as a priority <strong>in</strong> the selection of the Kosovo Albanians brought to Austria under the<br />
UNHCR Humanitarian Evacuation Programme <strong>in</strong> 1999.<br />
Asylum <strong>seekers</strong> are not entitled to family reunification.<br />
Procedure: the application <strong>for</strong> extension of the refugee status must be lodged by the family<br />
member either with the Federal Asylum Agency or with an Austrian Embassy. In the latter case,<br />
the application will be referred to the Federal Asylum Agency. If this is granted, the M<strong>in</strong>istry of<br />
Interior <strong>in</strong>structs the Austrian Embassy to issue a residence permit, which entitles the family<br />
member to entry <strong>and</strong> residence <strong>and</strong> Austria. In 1998, 294 persons were reunited <strong>in</strong> Austria.<br />
Statistics (source: M<strong>in</strong>istry of Interior)<br />
Number of <strong>asylum</strong> <strong>seekers</strong><br />
The <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g number of <strong>asylum</strong> applications lodged <strong>in</strong> 1998 <strong>and</strong> 1999 stems ma<strong>in</strong>ly from the<br />
crisis <strong>in</strong> Kosovo. Statistics dist<strong>in</strong>guish<strong>in</strong>g between applications submitted <strong>in</strong>side the country <strong>and</strong><br />
abroad are not available.<br />
Number of <strong>asylum</strong> applications submitted <strong>in</strong> Austria<br />
1996 6,991<br />
1997 6.719<br />
1998 13.805<br />
1999 20,129<br />
Number of statuses granted<br />
Convention statuses Residence permits – Section 15 of the Asylum Law<br />
1996 716 not available<br />
1997 639 not available<br />
1998 500 191<br />
1999 3,393 886<br />
Ma<strong>in</strong> national groups<br />
Ma<strong>in</strong> national groups to seek <strong>asylum</strong> <strong>in</strong> Austria<br />
1998 1999<br />
Fed. Rep. of Yugoslavia 6,647 6,840<br />
Iran 950 3,343<br />
Afghanistan 467 2,209<br />
Iraq 1,963 2,014<br />
India 472 874<br />
Sierra Leone 166 350<br />
Turkey 210 337<br />
Pakistan 242 317<br />
17<br />
Austria
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