Asylum seekers in Bavaria: payment card brings escape on installments”!

Asylum seekers in Bavaria: payment card brings escape on installments”!

With the introduction of the payment card for asylum seekers in Bavaria, which started in March 2024, it was observed that the number of voluntary departures increased. Loud RND There will be an increase in departures of almost 30 percent in the period from July to December 2024 compared to the same period last year. This means that the absolute numbers have climbed from 5,984 departures in the first half of 2023 to 7,778 departures in 2024.

The payment card was rolled out across the country by the end of June 2024. By the end of March 2025, more than 70,000 of these cards were in use. The Bavarian CSU and the state government argue that this measure serves to reduce money transfers abroad by asylum seekers and reduce incentives for immigration to Germany. The background to this measure is a certain mistrust regarding the use of money that asylum seekers could use for migration or to support smugglers.

Reactions and criticism

However, not everyone considers the introduction of payment cards to be sensible. Associations such as the Bavarian Refugee Council are highly critical and see the payment card as a form of bullying and discrimination. They argue that the payment card makes it significantly more difficult to participate in everyday life, as asylum seekers only have 50 euros in cash per month.

While 56 refugees left Eichsfeld, for example, most of them probably headed for Georgia and the Western Balkans, other voices are skeptical about a direct connection between the payment card and the departures or taking up work. The Thuringian integration officer Mirjam Kruppa says that the argument for the payment card should be viewed as unsubstantiated. Migration researcher Herbert Brücker also sees no lasting positive effects and notes that the measure results in higher administrative costs.

Positive effects or limitations?

While some district administrators, such as Werner Henning, report positive effects of the payment card, this contrasts with the experiences of the Thuringian Refugee Council, which speaks of significant restrictions for those affected. Reports suggest that administrative burdens could increase while asylum seekers' opportunities to participate in social life remain limited. The question of pricing by authorized dealers, who could benefit from a possible monopoly position, is also up for discussion.

In summary, the introduction of the payment card for asylum seekers should be viewed critically from both a political perspective and its practical implications. The German District Council contradicts the argument that the payment card restricts mobility, while at the same time emphasizing that it is intended to cover the cost of living in Germany. However, it remains unclear whether the intention to prevent transfers to smugglers can actually be achieved or whether the resulting restrictions on integration are more serious.