FAQ: Initial Reception Center

The government of Middle Franconia has leased the building for ten years. The city of Erlangen has been tasked with operating the facility.

The city of Erlangen is not required to cover any costs. The costs for setting up the shelter and its ongoing operation are borne by the government of Middle Franconia and the Free State of Bavaria, respectively.

The facility has a maximum capacity of 600 residents. However, experience has shown that this capacity is rarely fully utilized due to high turnover.

Wars and difficult political conditions are forcing people around the world to flee. The countries of origin from which many people are fleeing change regularly due to the numerous global crises. Currently, most people are coming from

• Syria
• Turkey
• Iran
• Venezuela, and
• Cuba.

Newly arrived refugees

• who have filed an asylum application and
• are currently in the asylum process.

The government of Middle Franconia will assign both families and single individuals. The mix of residents will be determined by the composition of the newly arriving refugees. Even the government has only limited ability to control this process.

Residents stay only for a limited time. This period lasts about a few months and is independent of the ongoing asylum proceedings.

The refugees are only temporarily housed in Erlangen. They receive comprehensive care at the shelter before being distributed to other locations. Long-term integration into the local community is then planned in the municipalities where they will live permanently. The Refugee and Integration Counseling Service and the Asylum Procedure Counseling Service provide information and support in handling day-to-day matters and navigating the asylum process.

The facility includes common areas and classrooms. However, because residents’ stay in Erlangen is short, there are no plans to organize social gatherings in the neighborhood. In addition, residents have many appointments due to their ongoing asylum proceedings.

Residents receive the necessary health care services in accordance with the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act. Medical care is provided at the shelter by medical staff. This is organized by the government of Middle Franconia.

Due to the short stay in Erlangen, there are no plans to visit external daycare centers. Preschool-aged children will be cared for at the facility.

Children of school age are taught within the facility by teachers provided by the state education authority.

Yes. German language courses are offered at the residence.

Yes. The facility is supervised by an experienced security service. The security personnel are on site around the clock and control access to the facility. Unauthorized persons are not permitted to enter the facility.

Meals are provided at the facility. Residents can also buy snacks at nearby supermarkets.

Residents receive reduced benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, since meals are provided at the shelter.

Donations of goods can be dropped off at the various clothing banks run by aid organizations. Monetary donations are not accepted. In addition, please do not bring any monetary or in-kind donations to the facility. They will not be accepted there.

Yes, volunteering at the initial reception center is welcome and expressly encouraged. This meaningful work helps refugees and provides invaluable support to everyone involved. Anyone interested in volunteering at the initial reception center can contact the city of Erlangen’s integration coordinators directly by phone at 09131/86-2655, 09131/86-1898, 09131/86-3886, or by email at engagiert.integriert@stadt.erlangen.de. These “ ” ( integration guides ) are responsible for coordinating volunteer work at the facility. Volunteer work at the initial reception shelter can only be arranged after contacting the integration coordinators in advance. For more information about the integration coordinators, visit https://erlangen.de/aktuelles/engagiert-integriert.

If vulnerable individuals are assigned to the facility, they will be housed in a separate area within the facility. They are then to be transferred to another municipality as soon as possible.

Residents generally have a temporary residence permit to allow them to go through the asylum process. Until they officially file their asylum application, they are issued a certificate of arrival. They are not permitted to work during the first six months of their stay. After that, they may work with the approval of the immigration office. The Central Immigration Office in Zirndorf is responsible for these residents, not the local immigration office at City Hall.