Living in refugee accommodation - What am I allowed to do? What do I need to know?

When you are new to Germany, you often start out living in accommodation for refugees - for example in an initial reception center or shared accommodation. Many people live together in a small space. To ensure that this works well, there are certain rules - and people who ensure that these are adhered to.

Who does what in the accommodation?

Each accommodation has a House rules - It states, for example, when visitors are allowed or when you have to be quiet in the evening. The Home management is there to ensure that everyone adheres to these rules.

The Security personnel (security) ensures that everyone can feel safe. They make sure that nothing happens and are allowed to check visitors' IDs - and there must always be at least one woman in the team.

Then there's the Social workers. They help if you have questions or problems - for example, when registering for daycare, looking for an apartment or if you need an address for a doctor or advice center.

Important to know: The people in the accommodation have nothing to do with your asylum procedure to do. They are also not allowed to pass on any information about you to the BAMF or other authorities.

What rights do I have?

You have the right to feel safe, to have your privacy and to know about support services.

In 2016, so-called Minimum standards for the protection of children, young people and women in refugee accommodation. These include, for example

• Children, young people and women must be protected from violence.

• They must have access to medical and psychological help.

• There should be separate rooms for children and young people to play and learn.

Other important rights in the accommodation:

• Families and married couples may together in one room live.

• Women only live in rooms with other women.

• You have a lockable room (or at least a lockable cupboard if you share your room).

• The Home management is not allowed in your room just like that - neither without permission nor without warning if you are not there.

• You may Receive a visitduring the day.

• Every week you get fresh towels, every two weeks fresh bed linen.

• If you stay away overnightyou must let us know. If you are away for longer than three days, your bed can be reassigned - but your belongings must not simply be thrown away.

• You have a right to Clean toilets and showersseparated by gender.

• It must Sufficient, healthy and varied food without pork.

• The home management must tell you if Post has arrived for you.

What should I do if my rights are violated?

Even if many accommodations adhere to the rules - unfortunately this does not work everywhere. If you have the feeling that something is not right at your accommodation or that you are being treated unfairly, you can contact a Counseling center or the refugee council in your federal state.

Will you insulted, discriminated against or threatened - or if you experience physical or sexual violence - contact the hostel management or social workers immediately. If they don't help (or are part of the problem themselves), seek support from an independent agency:

• www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de

• For women: www.frauen-gegen-gewalt.de or www.frauenhauskoordinierung.de

• You can also use the Help phone under 08000 116 016 call - anonymously, free of charge and in many languages.

Can I move into my own apartment?

That depends, which residence status you have:

• Recognized refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection or persons entitled to asylum are allowed to move into their own apartment.

• Asylum seekers usually have to stay in an initial reception center for between 6 weeks and 24 months. Only then can you possibly move into an apartment - this depends on the federal state and country of origin. If you come from a "safe country of origin", you will remain in the initial reception center for the entire asylum procedure.

• Tolerated are generally not allowed to move into an apartment. Only if there is no space in shared accommodation can you be allocated an apartment - or you can look for one yourself. But this is often difficult and only works with a good reason, e.g. if you are ill. Seek advice from an advice center or a lawyer.

        If you work and stay in the accommodation, you may have to pay a lot of rent from your wages.

Can I move to another city?

This also depends on your residence status:

• Recognized refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protectionwho receive social benefits usually have to stay in the same federal state for three years. Some federal states even stipulate that you have to stay in the same municipality - this is called "residence allocation".

  However, you can apply to move to another city. You need a good reason for this (e.g. family reunification, illness). It is best to seek advice beforehand!

• Asylum seekers and tolerated persons usually have to stay where they have been allocated - unless they earn their own living. A move can only be approved for special reasons (e.g. serious illness, caring for relatives) - and even then only rarely.