Question 1

Is your offer for legal advice limited to people seeking asylum?

Accepted Answer

Our consulting offer is not limited to people seeking asylum. It is directed mainly to refugees and migrants in Berlin. However we advise people in general who have questions concerning their residence rights. Furthermore we also consult people who are confronted with questions concerning residence rights due to their work bur are not affected themselves.

Question 2

Are you also offering legal advise via video-call, telephone or e-mail?

Accepted Answer

Normally, our 13 counseling teams in Berlin offer local support based on the dual-control principle. We generally do not conduct consultations via Skype or phone, as going through official correspondence together is essential for most consultations. This is not possible over the phone and only possible to a very limited extent via Skype. Our Team Online is the only team that provides consultations exclusively online via the Jitsi platform. However, please note that Team Online’s consultations are primarily intended for people located in Berlin. You can find other Refugee Law Clinics throughout Germany here: https://home.refugeelawclinics.de/2022/11/22/rlc-standorte/)

Question 3

Do people who sought advice before come back to you when they have other problems concerbing residence law?

Accepted Answer

People seeking advice regularly come back to us with follow-up questions. We are always happy to create a basis of trust that lasts so that those who have sought advice will turn to us again.

Question 4

What authorities do you usually deal with?

Accepted Answer

BAMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees), Ausländerbehörde (Berlin Immigration Office), LAF, Jobcenter, German agencies abroad

Question 5

Do you also help with access to the job market? Or with other aspects of integration?

Accepted Answer

Primariliy our consulting is limited to legal issues concerning asylum and residence law. For questions concerning other topics we usually refer to other consulting locations who are specialised on topics like access to the job market, housing, language coueses etc.

Question 6

Can you also answer questions concerning criminal cases and treaties?

Accepted Answer

No. We only offer consulting in the field of asylum and residence law.

Question 7

Are you a state organisation?

Accepted Answer

No. We are completely independent from any state institutions. Also our donors do not have any impact on our consulting. We keep the information given to us in the consulting confidential and do not give any information to third parties.

Question 8

I am a journalist and would like to get to know your work. Can I therefore be present at a consultation?

Accepted Answer

No. We treat consultations strictly confidential. It is very important to us that the person seeking advice finds a safe space in which one can speak freely. The presence of third parties or even the recording of a consultation is therefore not possible.

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