Guide for Immigrants

Arriving in Freiburg

You are new in Freiburg? We would like to give you detailed information to help you get started.

If you want to stay in Germany for a longer time, you need a residence permit (Important Information on Immigration Law). If you have found a flat, you must register with the local Town Hall branch within one week (Housing). Only then can you use public services such as the Job Centre. It is also important to have health insurance (Health)

Immigration Counselling Centres

In the Immigration Counselling Centres for Adults [Migrationsberatungsstellen für Erwachsene (MBE)] you will get all information that is important to your start here in Freiburg.

The Youth Immigration Service [Jugendmigrationsdienst (JMD)] offers special assistance for young people between 12 and 26 years of age. The Welcome Centre provides information on getting started in a professional career.

The Immigration Counselling Centres (MBE)                 
help you with:

  • the placement in integration courses/ German language courses
  • looking for jobs / entering the job market
  • securing your livelihood, with social issues
  • questions about childcare, schools and vocational training
  • questions about staying in Germany
  • family reunification
  • health issues
  • questions about education and family
  • organizing your everyday life/ recreational activities

Joint Website:

Immigration Counselling Center of the Caritas Association of the City of Freiburg (MBE Caritasverband Freiburg-Stadt)

Immigration Counselling Center of the German Red Cross (Migrationsberatungsstelle Deutsches Rotes Kreuz)

Immigration Counselling Center "Südwind" Freiburg e.V. (Migrationsberatungsstelle Südwind Freiburg e. V.)

Immigration Counselling Center of the Freiburg Protestant Church Charity (Migrationsberatungsstelle Diakonisches Werk Freiburg)

Immigration Counselling Center Youth Immigration Service (Jugendmigrationsdienst, JMD)

Counselling Centre and services for young
immigrants aged 12 - 26

Counselling for refugees aged 12 to 27 (persons with exceptional leave to remain, asylum seekers and unaccompanied and accompanied minors)

Services:

  • Consultation /individual support:
  • language, school, vocation, training
  • family reunification, staying in Germany
  • social integration
  • individual help with schooling and learning the language
  • placement of volunteers, sports projects, courses, culture

Welcome Center Freiburg Upper Rhine (Welcome Center Freiburg Oberrhein)

Consultation and Information Office for international skilled workers and their families

Services:
Information about Freiburg and the region for international skilled workers. Subjects: everyday life, work, family,language, education and much more

Patronato Acli Freiburg - Christian Movement of Italian Workers (Christliche Vereinigung italienischer Arbeitnehmer)

Services:
Consultation, adult education, things to do for families

Information for refugees

The following information is intended for refugees without recognition as asylum-seekers or as refugees (people before the start of the asylum procedure, in the middle of the asylum procedure or people whose deportation has been suspended). Refugees who have been recognized as asylum seekers or refugees can find the information relevant to them on the remaining pages of the guide, which is intended for all migrants.

Places in Freiburg especially for refugees

(also on the subject of asylum)

Social Services

The Social Service Centre is the first point of contact for refugees who would like to receive answers to their questions, for example questions concerning the asylum procedure, residence, work, education, housing, school, university studies etc. If necessary, Social Services can refer you to other services. If you live in a refugee centre, there is a Social Service Centre right in your centre. If you live in a residential flat, you will be told which Social Service Centre you can turn to.
 
Each refugee centre also has voluntary helpers. These are people who, outside of their work, offer many different services especially for refugees, for example, support during appointments with government agencies or doctors, German courses or sports. Social Services can also help you get in touch with these helpers.
 
If you need an interpreter for an important appointment, please also turn to your Social Service Centre.

Information on the Situation of Refugees and on the Asylum Procedure

A lot of useful information for refugees is available via the smartphone app "Arriving" (Ankommen), including information on the asylum procedure, work, education, shopping, health, mobility, children, learning German and housing. We strongly recommend taking a look at the information in the app.

General Information Centres for Refugees

Caritas Refugee Services (Caritas Flüchtlingsdienst)

Services: Support and assistance for refugees
Networking

Social Services of the Protestant Church (Diakonisches Werk) for Migrants and Refugees

Services:
Questions relating to family reunification and residence permits
Support and assistance during the asylum procedure, in particular preparation for the hearing at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees

Please bring all relevant records and documents

Immigration Counselling Center Youth Immigration Service (Jugendmigrationsdienst, JMD)

Counselling Centre and services for young
immigrants aged 12 - 26

Counselling for refugees aged 12 to 27 (persons with exceptional leave to remain, asylum seekers and unaccompanied and accompanied minors)

Services:

  • Consultation /individual support:
  • language, school, vocation, training
  • family reunification, staying in Germany
  • social integration
  • Individual linguistic and educational support by volunteers
  • Sports projects, courses, culture

Roma Büro Freiburg e.V.

Self-help organization for Roma, particularly young people, promotes personal initiative and intercultural exchange

Services:
Recreational Youth Centre not only for Roma: music lessons and music for your festivities/event, counselling and translation, holidays with Roma people throughout Europe, extras for your art, cultural or political projects, repairs of your bike/ Vespa motor scooter and other repairs, information about culture and history of the Roma and the holocaust

Please bring your respect and good humour!

Freiburg Forum taking Action against Exclusion (Freiburger Forum aktiv gegen Ausgrenzung)

Takes action against all forms of exclusion, among others against the discrimination of Roma and deportations

Support through legal counselling and the use of a legal support fund of those affected

per Mail und Telefon 0151 28211252

German, English, French, Serbian, Romansh

Please bring: official notices

Political work against marginalising and racist structures and laws
Newcomers are very welcome

jeden zweiten Dienstag im Monat um 19 Uhr im rasthaus (https://rasthaus-freiburg.org/)

German, English, French, Serbian, Romansh

Operation Right to Stay (Aktion Bleiberecht)

Network that wants to raise widespread public awareness of policy issues concerning refugees through involvement in  politics and fights for refugee rights/ the right to stay staging public events.

Services:projects such as the "anti-racist city tour", events, series of events, exhibitions and readings
Meetings for all refugees who want to organize themselves politically

For Refugees with Italian Language Skills:

ACLI / Patronato ACLI Germania e.V.

ACLI: Meetings, seminars, conferences, festivities and recreational activities with families, women, seniors etc.,
PATRONATO ACLI: Low-level counselling services; social counselling (pension, benefits under German Social Code Vol. II, family assistance). The free consultation is independent of age and denomination and is also offered in Italian; information events.

Services:
German language course using explanations in German and Italian
Tue 14.30-17.30
Thu 10-12
It is possible to join the course at any time
Requirements: Italian language skills

Repatriation Counselling

Counselling on repatriation and prospects when returning, German Red Cross, Freiburg District Association

Unbiased and independent counselling for refugees who are thinking of going back to their country of origin

Services:
Advice to clarify the prospects of staying and returning, development of an individual repatriation concept, support in obtaining travel documents, help in dealing with government agencies, arranging financial support, information and placement in projects in the home country, help with the necessary formalities

Please bring:

  • Residence permit
  • Proof of lack of means (Notice of payments from the Office for Migration and Integration or Job Centre)
  • Travel documents, if available

Tracing Service

Counselling centre for tracing and reuniting families, German Red Cross

The tracing service supports people who have been separated from their loved ones due to armed conflicts, disasters, flight, expulsion or migration

Services:

  • Counselling for refugees living in Germany on the legal requirements for family reunification under the German Residence Act (AufenthG).
  • Counselling for potential ethnic German resettlers and their relatives on all questions and conditions regarding the resettlement procedure under the Federal Law on Refugees and Exiles (BVFG).

Note:

If you want to bring your family to Germany, there is more information under "marriage, family, partnership".

Support in the Asylum Procedure

If you have questions about your asylum procedure, you can contact your Social Service Centre or one of the following legal counselling centres. These can help you answer some of the questions about your asylum procedure.
 
If you need help from a lawyer in your asylum procedure, your Social Service Centre or the following service centres can help you look for a lawyer. The assistance of a lawyer is associated with high costs as of the first interview. In some cases, there is the possibility of financial support (in the form of "pro bono advice" and "legal aid"). The legal counselling centres can advise you whether you qualify for financial support.

Legal Counselling Centres

Amnesty International Freiburg

Counselling regarding the asylum procedure for asylum seekers. Please send an e-mail including your name, country of origin and an indication of how proficient you are in German or English.

Please bring:
all documents that may be relevant to the asylum procedure

Social Services of the Protestant Church (Diakonisches Werk) for Migrants and Refugees

Services:
Questions relating to family reunification and residence permits
Support and assistance during the asylum procedure, in particular preparation for the hearing at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees

Please bring all relevant records and documents

Freiburg Forum taking Action against Marginalisation (Freiburger Forum aktiv gegen Ausgrenzung)

Takes action against all forms of exclusion, among others against the discrimination of Roma and deportations

Support through legal counselling and the use of a legal support fund of those affected

per Mail und Telefon 0151 28211252

German, English, French, Serbian, Romansh

Please bring: official notices

Political work against marginalising and racist structures and laws
Newcomers are very welcome

jeden zweiten Dienstag im Monat um 19 Uhr im rasthaus (rasthaus-freiburg.org)

German, English, French, Serbian, Romansh

Refugee Law Clinic Freiburg e. V.

The Refugee Law Clinic Freiburg offers refugees support in legal questions.

Services:
For refugees: legal counselling during office hours
For supporters: crash courses in migration law

Please bring: interpreter, if necessary

South-Baden Action Group against Deportations (Südbadisches Aktionsbündnis gegen Abschiebungen (SAGA)

SAGA was founded in 1991 by several regional groups of refugees. Since then, the anti-racist alliance has been working against impending deportations. SAGA offers place which is open to refugees twice a week. SAGA, among other things, supports the resistance of refugees against the refugee camp system, the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act, the residence obligation and deportations.

Services:
Counselling and support in residence questions:
Wed 15:00-18:00
Fri 17:00-20:00