The BAMF informs: Regional suspension of assisted voluntary return to Turkey

Due to the situation in the south of Turkey caused by the earthquake and the massive damage to the infrastructure there, an assisted voluntary return through the REAG/GARP program implemented by IOM to the affected areas of Turkey is currently not supported or only after case-by-case assessment and individual clearance.

The following provisions apply to the affected areas:

• Voluntary departures to the following provinces are suspended by IOM until further notice: Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

• Voluntary departures can be made for the following provinces after individual case review and clearance by the IOM office in Turkey: Mersin, Niğde, Kayseri, Sivas, Erzincan, Tunceli, Elazığ, Bingöl, Muş, Batman, Mardin, Bitlis, Siirt, Şırnak.

A return to the areas not affected by suspension can be guaranteed on the part of IOM. However, a subsequent onward journey to an affected destination region can only be carried out independently on the part of the returnees.

The situation is continuously monitored and reviewed by the Federal Government, the Länder and the IOM in order to be able to react to current developments.