Turkey - A group of 101 Iraqi refugees will leave Turkey today (16/7/13) on an IOM charter flight bound for resettlement in Germany.

The group, currently living in Konya, Kayseri, K?r?ehir, Sakarya, Aksaray, Amasya, and Yozgat, were referred by UNHCR and interviewed by officials from the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in Ankara in May.

The IOM charter, arranged at the request of BAMF, will fly from Ankara’s Esenbo?a Airport to Hanover. Two BAMF officials and an IOM medical escort will accompany the refugees, who have already undergone IOM health screening. They will be met at Hanover airport by a representative of the German Federal Ministry of Interior.

On arrival in Germany, the refugees will spend their first two weeks in a reception centre. They will then move to various Federal States (Länder) under a quota system based on existing refugee populations, or because they have relatives in that location.  

Post-arrival cultural orientation will be given at the reception center, including presentations by the agencies that will facilitate their integration after they leave the centre.

The resettled refugees will receive a temporary three-year residence permit, renewable where deemed necessary. After seven years, provided the applicant meets the relevant requirements, a settlement permit may be granted.

For more information, please contact

Marguerite Elia
IOM Ankara
Tel: + 90 312 454 1144

Email: ankopdl@iom.int