The number of migrants leaving Germany voluntarily has increased
The number of foreigners voluntarily leaving Germany after their asylum applications were rejected has increased significantly. In the first half of 2026, 9,276 people left Germany through the state's assisted return program.
The number of migrants leaving Germany voluntarily is increasing. This was reported by the Funke media group on August 17, citing statistics from the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
According to the data, in January-June of this year, 9,276 people used the German government's program to help foreigners who want to voluntarily return to their homeland or to a third country ready to accept them. For comparison, in the first half of 2025, this figure was 7,348 people. Thus, in one year, the number of those who voluntarily left Germany through the program increased by almost 1.9 thousand people, or 26 percent.
In total, 16,578 foreigners left the country under the German government's return program. In 2024, the number of such migrants was 10,358.
According to the German Central Register of Foreigners, as of the end of June 2026, there were 258,845 foreigners in the country who were obliged to leave Germany. However, the vast majority of them cannot be deported immediately. In particular, 199,271 migrants have the status of Duldung, that is, a temporary postponement of deportation. This status does not give a person the right to permanent residence in Germany, but for certain reasons his deportation is temporarily not carried out.
According to the German Ministry of the Interior, federal and local authorities expelled 18,939 people from the country in January-June 2026. In some cases, police assistance was required to carry out the deportation. At the same time, some foreigners who agreed to leave the country voluntarily were provided with financial assistance by the state.
The federal program provides financial support to foreigners who voluntarily leave Germany and agree to return to their home country or to a third country that is willing to accept them. As part of the program, the German government covers the cost of air tickets. In addition, each adult receives financial assistance of 1,000 euros and each child receives 500 euros.
Thus, in addition to the forced deportation of foreigners who do not have the right to stay in the country, the German government is also using a mechanism to financially encourage their voluntary return.