The German Federal Foreign Office has issued approximately 115,000 family reunification visas so far this year, which has brought the total to 1 million since 2015.
The data was obtained from the Foreign Office after a request from Alternative for Germany (AfD) MP Martin Hess. It shows that by the end of November 2024, there was a “total of 114,707 national visas” issued for family reunification. In 2023, there were approximately 130,000 such visas issued.
The top five nationalities were Syria (18,586), Turkey (13,484), India (11,534), Kosovo (7,923), and Iran (4,147).
For 56 percent of cases, spouses joined their families, while in 39 percent, it involved children who came to Germany, according to NIUS news outlet.
In response to the large numbers of migrants coming since 2015, the AfD is now calling for a complete halt to all family reunification visas.
Following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad in Syria, numerous countries suspended asylum procedures for Syrians; however, Austria has gone a step further and also dropped family reunification. So far, Germany has no such plans to suspend family reunification.
AfD politician Martin Hess is calling for Syrian refugees to return home and an end to family reunification.
“Family reunification must urgently be stopped and fundamentally reorganized,” he wrote.
On a post on Facebook, he further wrote, “Over 110,000 visas for the purpose of family extension were granted in Germany until the end of November alone. These numbers show clearly: Mass migration continues indirectly — especially from Muslim countries such as Syria. A large portion of these family members will probably immigrate directly into our social systems. This is completely unacceptable.”
The leader of the AfD, Alice Weidel, who was selected this month as the AfD’s candidate for chancellor, has called for a complete immigration moratorium for at least five years.
The call comes at a time when the majority of Germans say migrants bring more disadvantages than advantages and the share of foreigners involved in serious crimes has hit a record high, involving approximately six in 10 cases as of 2024.
