Increasing Delays for Syrian Family Reunifications in Austria

The process of family reunification for Syrians who have fled to Austria has come to a near standstill. According to a response from the Austrian Ministry of the Interior to SPÖ MP Christian Oxonitsch, only 14 entries were approved in January, a significant drop from 400 in September. This decline is primarily attributed to the change in leadership in Damascus, which has led to Syrian applications being processed only in exceptional cases. As a result, over 3,600 Syrians are now awaiting decisions on their reunification requests.

The family reunification process allows immediate family members to submit entry requests at Austrian diplomatic missions, where formal applications can then be lodged. Typically, those granted an entry permit are allowed to reside permanently in Austria. Over the past few years, Syrians have consistently represented the largest group of refugees in the country, leading to a high volume of family reunification applications. In September alone, 444 entry permits were issued, with 400 going to Syrians. However, by January, only 91 individuals were permitted to travel to Austria to apply for family reunification.

This sharp decline is largely due to the fact that only 14 Syrians were granted entry permits, with their applications being processed only if there are urgent humanitarian grounds. Currently, Afghan nationals have surpassed Syrians as the largest group of approved entries, with 31 permits issued.

The backlog in applications is significant, with 3,607 Syrians without entry approval or negative outcomes. As of January 31, a total of 4,624 applications were pending. The number of rejections has also surged, increasing from 40 in September to 1,865 by January. This increase is particularly notable among Syrian applicants, with only 31 facing refusals in September compared to 1,836 in January.

Prior to the leadership change in Damascus, the Ministry had already tightened controls over family reunification processes, such as implementing DNA testing to verify familial relationships. Between July 2024 and January 2025, 45 reimbursements totaling EUR71,547.56 were issued because the family connections were confirmed through testing. However, the Ministry has not maintained statistics on the number of tests conducted or their outcomes.