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Legal Support

Accessibility (per status):
Accessibility (per status):
  • Asylum seekers: receive healthcare under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act (Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz – AsylbLG). During the first period of stay, treatment covers acute illnesses, pain, pregnancy care, vaccinations and necessary preventive care; access is usually organised through treatment vouchers issued by local social welfare offices. After an extended stay, access may be expanded to regular statutory healthcare depending on federal state arrangements (https://www.germany4ukraine.de/hilfeportal-en/health-insurance).
  • Refugees: enrolled in the statutory health insurance system and access healthcare under the same conditions as nationals, including specialised treatment, sexual and reproductive health services, HIV treatment and medically necessary gender-affirming care (according to Social Code Book V)
  • Migrants: covered by statutory or private health insurance and access healthcare under the same conditions as nationals (Federal Ministry of Health: https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de)
Accessibility (per status):
  • Asylum Seekers: Psychosocial Centres for Refugees and Victims of Torture (BAfF network) provide trauma-informed counselling and therapy (https://www.baff-zentren.org); reception centre social workers support access to care.
  • Refugees: Psychosocial Centres for Refugees and Victims of Torture (BAfF network) provide trauma-informed counselling and therapy (https://www.baff-zentren.org);
  • Migrants: Private and insurance-funded therapists, counselling centres and community organisations provide psychological support (https://www.bamf.de/EN/Startseite/startseite_node.html)
Accessibility (per status):
Accessibility (per status):
Accessibility (per status):
  • Asylum Seekers: Access to integration and language courses depends on country of origin and residence prospects; many federal states provide initial orientation courses:
  • Refugees: Recognised refugees have a legal entitlement to integration courses including language and civic education
    • Arabic: Recognised refugees often access integration courses with Arabic-speaking support. BAMF integration courses
    • Farsi/Dari: Refugees from Afghanistan and Iran frequently receive integration support with Dari/Farsi mediation. BAMF integration courses
    • Ukrainian/Russian: Those granted protection from Ukraine have access to schooling and integration courses with Ukrainian language assistance. BAMF Ukraine info
  • Migrants: Migrants with residence permits can participate in integration courses and vocational language training depending on residence status
    • Farsi/Dari: Counselling and integration programmes support Persian-speaking humanitarian and family-reunification migrants. BAMF MBE counselling
    • Turkish: interpretation widely available due to established Turkish-speaking community. Destatis migration data
    • Ukrainian/Russian: Ukrainian nationals under temporary protection access language and education programmes via integration services. (BAMF integration courses)
Accessibility (per status):
Accessibility (per status):
  • Asylum Seekers: ArrivalAid – Offers assistance with asylum procedures, counselling and social support programmes that also serve newly arrived asylum seekers (https://arrivalaid.org/anhoerungsbegleitung-klagebegleitung/get-hearing-assistance/).
    UNHCR Germany – Offers information, referral to services and support tools for asylum seekers (https://help.unhcr.org/germany/where-to-seek-help/).
  • Refugees: Local mentoring & community networks – Train of Hope associations which facilitate social integration and community involvement at the municipal level (https://trainofhope-do.de/arbeitskreise). W2eu – website regrouping contacts providing support for refugees in various cities (https://w2eu.info/en/countries/germany/contacts#N1VrvD9eT99lPO1b) consultations free of charge regarding immigration, refugee, social and criminal law; adresses and links to consulting organisations and other social services; Service to appointments with doctors or the authorities;  free language courses. ex: Kub Berlin (www.kub-berlin.org)  or BBZ (https://bbzberlin.de/); or Xenion (https://www.xenion.org/). REFUGIO – trauma and psychosocial support and refugee rights counselling (with specialized services for queer refugees in some branches). They can get support in asylum procedure & residence perspectives, access to medical care, housing and accommodation, networking & community activities. (https://www.refugio-thueringen.de/queer-flucht-info). CARITAS – Catholic welfare organization providing broad (queer) refugee support: psychotherapy & safe spaces for queer refugees (e.g., in Mainz) explicitly welcoming them into their psychosocial therapy programs and emphasize sensitive dialogue about trauma and identity. (https://www.caritas.de/go-on-queere). DIAKONIE – broad refugee services across Germany through regional offices, with a commitment to equality and non‑discrimination, for all refugees, therefore including queers. (https://www.diakonie.de/informieren/infothek/aktuelles/themen/migrationsfachdienste)
  • Migrants: Jobcenters & Municipal employment support services – Public actors that support labour-market access and community integration for migrants. Local intercultural initiatives and migrant-led organisations – Community groups that offer cultural activities, language support, and networking opportunities (varies by municipality).
Accessibility (per status):
  • Asylum Seekers: Specialised support groups exist mainly in urban areas; participation may be voluntary but protected by confidentiality. Counselling and safe spaces address discrimination, social isolation, and legal guidance
  • Refugees: Access to nationwide initiatives for LGBTQI+ refugees, including advocacy, empowerment, and safe housing projects
  • Migrants: LGBTQI+ migrant-specific groups exist to provide counselling, cultural mediation, and peer support. Services often require prior registration or referral.
Accessibility (per status):
  • Asylum Seekers: Hotlines and shelters for LGBTQI+ asylum seekers are available in major cities; access depends on registration at reception centres
  • Refugees: Recognised refugees can access national emergency support including crisis counselling, domestic violence shelters, and specialised LGBTQI+ services
  • Migrants: Migrants in urgent need can also contact crisis hotlines, legal emergency counselling, or LGBTQI+ community support organisations.
Accessibility (per status):
  • Asylum Seekers: Access to anti-discrimination counselling and protection services when facing harassment or violence, including cases based on sexual orientation or gender identity; support organisations may assist with documentation of incidents and communication with authorities (Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency: https://www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de). Access to legal gender recognition procedures is limited before residence status stabilisation but counselling is available.
  • Refugees: Protected under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) and may file discrimination complaints in employment, housing and services. They can also initiate legal gender and name change procedures under the Self-Determination Act (Selbstbestimmungsgesetz) (Federal Ministry of Justice: https://www.bmj.de)
  • Migrants: Migrants with residence permits can access anti-discrimination protection, victim support services and legal gender recognition procedures under the same conditions as nationals (https://www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de).