REAG/GARP

The programme REAG/GARP supports you financially and organizational when you return voluntarily to your country of origin or migrate on to another country.

The REAG/GARP programme helps you to return to your country of origin or to migrate on to another country. It supports you in the organisation of your journey and pays the costs for the travel ticket. Further support for reintegration is available for many countries through the StarthilfePlus programme. To find out whether you can receive StarthilfePlus, please visit the page for your country.

TIP
In the explanatory video on the start page you can see what a voluntary return might look like.

What support is available?
How much help you can receive depends on your nationality and other factors.
This is how you could be helped:
- Flight or bus ticket:
travel costs from the place of residence to the airport or (bus) station;
- Money for the journey: 200 EUR per person* (100 EUR per person under 18 years of age);
- Medical support: maximum of 2,000 EUR for up to three months after arrival in the country of destination;
- One-time support: 1,000 EUR per person (500 EUR per person under 18 years of age, maximum of EUR 4,000 per family)

*Persons from certain countries who were able to enter Germany without a visa receive a reduced travel allowance of EUR 50 (EUR 25 per person under 18). These are: Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo (UN Security Council Resolution 1244/99), Republic of Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Ukraine.

NOTE: extra rate
If you wish to leave Germany again after only a short time, you receive 500 EUR financial support (up to 2 months after the asylum decision has been issued). This is a fixed amount, whether you are travelling alone or with your family. The support is independent of your reasons for leaving the country.

Who can apply for REAG/GARP?
a) Persons from non-EU countries
who are currently in the asylum procedure,
whose asylum application has been rejected and are clearly obliged to leave the country and,
who are entitled to asylum or have discretionary leave to remain can receive REAG/GARP.

b) Persons from the EU who have become victims of human trafficking or forced prostitution can apply for assistance.

Please note: IOM does not support travel to Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen or Ukraine due to the tensions in these countries. Voluntary return to Eritrea and Somalia has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The processing may therefore take longer. You can find further information on your country's page.

Before you decide on voluntary return, you should obtain advice. You can therefore only apply for REAG/GARP through a counselling centre. There are independent and governmental counselling centres. Independent counselling centres are, for example, organisations or charities. Governmental counselling centres are available at social welfare offices or foreigners' registration offices. Here you can find counselling centres for voluntary return in your area.

Process Process

Required documents
In order to leave voluntarily, you need a valid travel document, e.g. passport, passport replacement document, residence permit. Some countries also allow their nationals to enter with an EU laissez passer. You can obtain this through the foreigners' registration office. The embassy or consulate can also issue an Emergency Travel Certificate or equivalent replacement document.

If you come from an African country you often first need a booking confirmation from IOM. Then you can apply for your travel document at your country's embassy. If you are travelling to a country other than your country of origin, you will need a 1-year immigration visa from the embassy or consulate.

Medical cases
Return can also be carried out in the event of illness or disability. In this case, the process of leaving the country may take longer. This depends on the illness and the medical reports required. Medical cases should always be entered on the application.

Pregnancy
If you are pregnant, you will need proof from your doctor that you are fit to fly.

Self-Paying Migrant Return Travel Assistance
"Self-Paying Migrant Return Travel Assistance" (formerly SMAP) is a programme to support the voluntary return of persons who cannot be funded through the REAG/GARP programme. For non-eligible persons, on request the Internationale Organisation für Migration (IOM) can offer joint flight bookings via "Self-Paying Migrant Return Travel Assistance". In addition to the ticket price, administrative and processing fees apply. These costs are not part of the REAG/GARP funding and are not financed through the programme.