The Austrian Chancellor Negammer proposes to strengthen control over the process of refugee reunification with their families. In recent years, the number of such requests has increased significantly, and now the government is planning to take steps to ensure more reliability of this process.
According to official statistics, the number of applications for families reunification after receiving refugee status has increased significantly. In January 2022, 310 requests were submitted, and in January this year they reached 845. Most of the requests came from Syrian citizens.
The National Party proposes the introduction of mandatory DNA tests to confirm family ties in cases where there are doubts about the accuracy of documents. According to the Chancellor of the Neammer, these tests should guarantee the absence of abuse of this process.
In addition, the Government plans to attract specialists in verification of documents and ensure the safety of families for more efficient control.
The Government also considers the possibility of canceling the obligation to present evidence of housing, health insurance and stable income during the first three months for refugees. This will ensure that persons who are entitled to shelter will be able to support themselves and their families on their own.
It should be noted that the proposal to use DNA tests to check family ties is not new. In 2008, a similar proposal was made by Heinz-Cristian Strah, but then she did not find sufficient support among legislators.
