Financial Support

If you have no means of supporting yourself, there is a chance that you will be entitled to state financial assistance. The benefits available to you depend on your residence status in Germany. If you have been the victim of a criminal act (e.g. trafficking, exploitation or violence in prostitution, marriage, or in the workplace), we recommend that you contact your nearest counselling centre. The staff at every counselling centre will be able to outline which legal benefits are available to you.

• If you choose to testify against the parties who committed criminal acts against you, the AsylbLG (law pertaining to benefits for asylum seekers) ensures you will be eligible for benefits throughout the period of the criminal investigation and the resulting court proceedings.
• AsylbLG also entitles you to benefits if you have been a victim of criminal acts, but have not yet decided whether or not to testify.
• As a citizen of the EU, you are eligible for benefits under the Social Welfare Code (SGB II or XII) if you find yourself in a temporary crisis situation.
• As a tourist you have virtually no rights to financial support from the state. If, however, you have been the victim of trafficking, please contact a counselling centre.
• If you are illegally in Germany then you are not eligible for financial support. Even if you are illegally resident in Germany, however, you can still contact a counselling centre in all confidence. Counsellors are legally bound to guarantee confidentiality for all information, so there will be no legal action taken against you (such as deportation).