StarthilfePlus - Supplementary Reintegration Support in the Country of Origin

Since 2017, the REAG/GARP programme has been completed by the StarthilfePlus programme, which provides reintegration assistance to returnees in over 40 countries of origin.

Voluntary returnees who leave the country with support from the REAG/GARP programme can receive the supplementary reintegration support StarthilfePlus depending on the desti-nation country. There is no entitlement to support.

As of May 1, 2023, the JRS program has been expanded to include 12 additional target countries: Cameroon, Dem. Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Palestinian Territories, Serbia, Somaliland, Tajikistan, Tunisia. The use of JRS assistance leads to adjustments in destination countries where SHP benefits are already provided. These are the countries: Cameroon, Dem. Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), Kenya, Serbia, Tajikistan and Tunisia. Corresponding adjustments for these 6 countries are made analogous to the adjustments made in the past. The changes are effective for departures since May 1, 2023.

Financial support in the target country (2nd start-up assistance)


Migrants of following countries, who voluntarily return with IOM under the REAG/GARP-Programme and receive financial start-up assistance, can get additional reintegration assistance for the following countries:
Cameroon*, Colombia, Algeria*, Armenia*, Bangladesh*, Benin, Burkina Faso, China, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo (Kinshasa)*, Egypt*, Ethiopia*, The Gambia*, Ghana*, Guinea*, Guinea Bissau, India*, Iraq*, Kenya*, Mali, Mongolia*, Morocco*, Niger, Nigeria*, Pakistan*, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka*, Sudan, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia*, Turkey* and Vietnam*.

From 2023 onwards, the funding amounts in selected StarthilfePlus target countries (marked with*) will be lower, since funding services are offered as part of the JRS ("Joint Reintegration Services") programme in these respective countries.
Exception: In the case of vulnerability according to defined criteria and/or residence according to §§ 22-26 AufenthG, the regular funding amounts apply. This exemption only applies to component “2. Start-up assistance in the target country”.


Reintegration in the area of housing


Voluntary returnees who leave the country with the REAG/GARP programme and receive start-up assistance can receive additional reintegration support in the area of housing in the following target countries:
Azerbaijan, Iran, Lebanon and Tajikistan.


Reintegration support for people with long-term toleration


Migrants returning to their country of origin through the REAG/GARP-Programme and having been tolerated to stay in Germany for at least two years may receive a one-time financial assistance as well as, if necessary, supplementary reintegration support as a benefit in kind in the areas of housing and medical costs:
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia and Montenegro.

For the target countries Albania, Georgia, Moldova, Macedonia and Serbia reintegration support is limited to one-time financial support, as reintegration support through the JRS programme is available in these target countries since 1 January 2023.

Building on REAG/GARP, the above-mentioned reintegration support services mentioned are implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on behalf of the German Federal Government. Factsheets, a country overview of the Germany-wide available return programmes and the documents to be submitted to the IOM by the application-transmitting offices are available in the login area.