Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in early January, around 4,000 Syrian refugees have returned from Germany [Getty]
Around 4,000 Syrian refugees have returned from Germany to Syria since the fall of the Assad regime in January, according to data cited by Deutsche Welle.
Although Germany continues to fund and promote voluntary repatriation schemes, most of those who went back did not receive official financial support.
Only 995 returnees benefited from the federal and state-level voluntary return programmes, which typically covered travel costs and offered each adult a one-off payment of €1,000 as an “initial incentive”.
A further 193 people returned under separate initiatives run at the state level, which also provide transport assistance and a financial stipend for reintegration.
The largest group of 2,727 Syrians left without any state aid. The German Interior Ministry said there was no official confirmation that they reached Syria, raising questions over whether they returned home or exited the asylum system.
By the end of April 2025, 464 Syrians had been repatriated under the supervision of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), according to figures reported by German network RND.
Germany hosts the largest Syrian refugee population in Europe, with about one million people, most of whom arrived between 2014 and 2015 at the height of the conflict. Between 2015 and 2023, more than 163,000 Syrians were granted German citizenship.
Despite Syria’s political transition, returns from Europe remain limited. In contrast, neighbouring countries including Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq have recorded about 500,000 refugee returns, according to UN data.
