Asylum or subsidiary protection

The interviews are over. The Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum must do its work now. Please be patient. It will take some weeks or months and then you will get a decision. For many children and adolescents it is very hard to wait so long.

What can you do?

  • Talk to your care worker. Meet friends. Tell them how you feel.
  • Do things that are fun.
  • Use the time to learn something new, for example German.
  • Go to school. Look for an apprenticeship.

The Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum needs to respect many laws. The most important law is called “Geneva Refugee Convention”. It says which persons get asylum. Persons who are threatened and unprotected in their home countries will get asylum.
For example: Children and adolescents have big problems because of their religion.
For example: Boys have to fight with weapons.
For example: Girls are forced to marry.
For example: Girls shall be circumcised.

Do you want to know more about the Geneva Refugee Convention?
Ask your legal representative.

The answer/decision from the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum will be sent to your legal representative by post. The answer is positive or negative. Your legal representative will explain the answer to you.

Did you get a positive decision?

Asylum

Some children and adolescents call it “großes Asyl” (“big asylum”) or “einen Passport bekommen“ (“getting a passport“).

Austria grants you asylum. Asylum means:

  • You can stay in Austria.
  • Right of residence for 3 years. After 3 years: You are still threatened in your home country? Then you get an unlimited right of residence in Austria.
  • You can start working.
  • If you are under 18 years old, you can bring your parents to Austria.
  • You can get a passport. The passport is called “convention travel document”. You are allowed to travel.

Subsidiary protection

Some children and adolescents call it “kleines Asyl” (“small asylum”), “Visum” (“visa”) or “Paragraph 8“.

Persons who are not safe in their home countries can get subsidiary protection.
For example: In their home country they are not safe because of civil war.
For example: Children and adolescents have a serious illness but in their home country they cannot get medication.

Subsidiary protection means:

  • You have got a right of residence in Austria. It’s valid only for one year. It can be extended. Your legal representative has to make a request. Please ask your legal representative. If you are already 18 years old you need to make the request yourself. You have to make the request before your right of residence expires. You might then get a right of residence for two years.
  • You can start working.
  • Your right of residence was extended after 3 years? If you are under 18 years of age, you can bring your parents to Austria.
  • You get a passport. The passport is called “aliens passport”. You are allowed to travel.

You want to get asylum? Please talk to your legal representative. Together with your legal representative you can make an appeal with the Federal Administrative Court. There is only 4 weeks time. In any case you will keep your subsidiary protection.