Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Data collection on asylum statistics contains statistical information based on the Article 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 of Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection.
Asylum applications:
Asylum, first time and subsequent applicants by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Persons subject of asylum applications pending at the end of month by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Asylum applications withdrawn by citizenship, age, sex and type of withdrawal (also for unaccompanied minors);
Asylum applicants having had their applications processed under the accelerated procedure by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Applicants having benefited from material reception conditions at the end of the reference year;
Asylum applicants considered to be unaccompanied minors by citizenship, age and sex.
Decisions on asylum applications:
First instance decisions on applications by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision (also for unaccompanied minors);
Decisions withdrawing status granted at first instance decision by citizenship, type of decision and type of reason (also for unaccompanied minors);
Final decisions in appeal or review on applications by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision (also for unaccompanied minors);
Decisions withdrawing status granted as final decision in appeal or review by citizenship, type of decision and type of reason (also for unaccompanied minors).
Resettled persons:
Resettled persons by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and country of previous residence;
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision;
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and resettlement framework.
In March 2022, the European Commission activated the Temporary Protection Directive 2001/55/EC for people from Ukraine seeking refuge.
Temporary protection:
Decisions granting temporary protection by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Beneficiaries of temporary protection at the end of the month by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors).
3.2. Classification system
Same as Eurostat.
See table 3.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Migration and asylum – Asylum statistics.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Similar definition as Eurostat.
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
3.5. Statistical unit
Persons.
3.6. Statistical population
Foreigners and stateless persons.
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
3.7. Reference area
Germany
3.8. Coverage - Time
Time coverage according to Regulation (EC) No 862/2007, from January 2008, eventually January 2021.
Data on applicants who benefited from material reception conditions are not available from 2021 to 2023 (derogation). Data are missing for 2024.
See table 3.8. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of persons.
Calendar month, calendar quarter and calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The compilation of asylum statistics is based on Articles 4.1-4.3 of Regulation (EC) 862/2007 of 11 July 2007 which depicts in detail the data provisions Member States are bound to supply Eurostat with.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The individual details collected are kept secret according to § 16 Federal Statistics Act. Only in exceptionally expressly regulated cases may individual details be transmitted. The duty of secrecy also applies to persons who are the recipients of individual details.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Not applicable.
8.1. Release calendar
Monthly and annually.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not fixed.
8.3. Release policy - user access
User access allowed when data is published.
The Federal Office publishes data updated on a monthly basis.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
As part of a monthly press release, the respective asylum business statistics of the previous month are published on the homepage of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF - Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge - Startseite).
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
The results of the statistics are published in various publications. They are offered both in print and online in electronic form. The publications on asylum business statistics can be downloaded from the homepage of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF - Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge - Statistik).
In the process of statistics creation, a variety of measures are taken to ensure the quality of the data. If necessary, quality assurance measures will be adapted and complemented by standardized methods of quality assessment and assurance. In order to ensure uniform and high-quality application and maintenance of the asylum statistics, regular meetings with internal organizational units and coordination with the Federal Ministry of the Interior are held.
The sub-working group meeting "Methods and Quality" on the principles of quality assurance at the Federal Statistical Office also takes place regularly (at least once a year).
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Asylum statistics in Germany are mainly based on administrative sources. Germany is following the requirements of the Regulation (EC) 862/2007 and the quality of the data may be assessed as very good.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The statistics collected under Regulation (EC) 862/2007 are used by a wide range of users at national, European and International level to cover various user needs.
The asylum business statistics provides important data on asylum-specific topics. It serves as a basis for decision making on socio-political, economic and political matters at national and international level. It shows correlations, allows conclusions to be drawn on various facts and serves as a control instrument for decisions already taken.
In addition to the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag), currently the main users of the asylum business statistics are federal and state ministries, in particular the Federal Ministry of the Interior as well as other national and international institutions and organizations, research and education institutions, the media and the general public.
All user needs on Asylum statistics are covered by Germany.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The interests of the users are taken into account in different ways. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees is in constant contact with users of asylum statistics, in particular via the information service to other authorities, departments, institutes and the public.
12.3. Completeness
The required disaggregation for all datasets is complete.
See table 12.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The overall accuracy of the German asylum statistics can be assessed as high.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not applicable.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
There are no measurement errors in the German asylum statistics.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
There are no processing errors in the German asylum statistics.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
The asylum data can be reported in 20-30 days after the end of the reference period. The reasons are quality assurance and data release.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
Data are delivered on time, except for data on annual final decisions, which are delayed by on week (three months and one week).
See table 14.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
The punctuality of delivery and publication of the German asylum statistic overall is very good.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The asylum statistics are comparable between all regions of Germany, there is only one national system of accumulating and processing the data.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Data are comparable over time.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
The data of the German asylum statistics is comparable until the year 2008.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not applicable.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Due to possible subsequent changes monthly and quarterly figures are not summable. Coherence between sub annual and annual statistics is only given to a limited extent.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The asylum business statistics is internally coherent.
Regular statistical reporting and revising to EDAMIS estimated to 30 working days per year. This does not include time to implement changes in guidelines in regular reporting.
Metadata questionnaire estimated to 10 working days involving at least 3 workers.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Data is revised continuously during the year and made final at the end of the year.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Data on the total and first-time asylum applicants are revised every six months from 2024 due to subsequent records and corrections. Revisions of January to May 2024 data in July 2024, January to November 2024 data in January 2025, January to May 2025 data in July 2025.
Data on the subsequent asylum applicants are revised annually due to subsequent records and corrections. Revisions of January to November 2024 data in January 2025, January to May 2025 in July 2025.
Data on first instance decisions are revised annually due to subsequent records and corrections. Revisions of Q1 to Q3 2024 data in January 2025.
See table 17.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Monthly, quarterly and annually.
18.3. Data collection
The asylum statistics are secondary statistics and are based on the duty of cooperation of the asylum seeker.
By default, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees records administrative data on all asylum seekers in the asylum application. The collected data of the original electronic file system (MARiS - Migration-Asylum Reintegration System) is transferred to the data warehouse overnight in the form of statistic-relevant data records. Each data record is clearly identifiable via the person number already assigned in advance. Automated report generation takes place at each change of month.
The data records integrated into the data warehouse are prepared through extraction and compaction by means of specific query parameters.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees carries out extensive plausibility checks for the data included in its asylum statistics. In addition, the data is subjected to a double-fall test. The asylum business statistics is a full survey at the current time. An extrapolation of the results is therefore not necessary.
18.4. Data validation
The statistics are carried out annually as a complete survey on the basis of an electronic file system. Consequently, sample-related errors are excluded. The input data is continuously validated during the process and subjected to a plausibility check. Errors due to incorrect information in the input data cannot be ruled out. As a result, the results of the asylum business statistics are generally of high significance, quality and validity.
18.5. Data compilation
Not applicable.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.6. Adjustment
The asylum business statistics do not contain any subsequent data cleansing or the use of other analysis methods.
Data collection on asylum statistics contains statistical information based on the Article 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 of Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection.
Asylum applications:
Asylum, first time and subsequent applicants by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Persons subject of asylum applications pending at the end of month by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Asylum applications withdrawn by citizenship, age, sex and type of withdrawal (also for unaccompanied minors);
Asylum applicants having had their applications processed under the accelerated procedure by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Applicants having benefited from material reception conditions at the end of the reference year;
Asylum applicants considered to be unaccompanied minors by citizenship, age and sex.
Decisions on asylum applications:
First instance decisions on applications by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision (also for unaccompanied minors);
Decisions withdrawing status granted at first instance decision by citizenship, type of decision and type of reason (also for unaccompanied minors);
Final decisions in appeal or review on applications by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision (also for unaccompanied minors);
Decisions withdrawing status granted as final decision in appeal or review by citizenship, type of decision and type of reason (also for unaccompanied minors).
Resettled persons:
Resettled persons by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and country of previous residence;
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and type of decision;
Resettled persons by citizenship, age, sex and resettlement framework.
In March 2022, the European Commission activated the Temporary Protection Directive 2001/55/EC for people from Ukraine seeking refuge.
Temporary protection:
Decisions granting temporary protection by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors);
Beneficiaries of temporary protection at the end of the month by citizenship, age and sex (also for unaccompanied minors).
15 September 2025
Similar definition as Eurostat.
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
Persons.
Foreigners and stateless persons.
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
Germany
Calendar month, calendar quarter and calendar year.
The overall accuracy of the German asylum statistics can be assessed as high.
Number of persons.
Not applicable.
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
The Federal Office publishes data updated on a monthly basis.
The asylum data can be reported in 20-30 days after the end of the reference period. The reasons are quality assurance and data release.
The asylum statistics are comparable between all regions of Germany, there is only one national system of accumulating and processing the data.
Data are comparable over time.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables Asylum’.
