Funding

Are you planning a large-scale project in the fields of asylum, integration, return or solidarity? Then you can apply for EU funding by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) 2021-2027. The AMIF Managing Authority awards funding to project executing agencies to support these types of projects.

The legally binding commitment of funds in the call for funding expired on December 31, 2024 as planned. The call for funding is currently being revised. As soon as the necessary information is available from the European Commission and the budget has been approved by the monitoring committee, an adapted call for funding will be published.
For the time being, no consultations can be held nor new project applications can be submitted.

Funding Requirements & General Conditions

When awarding European funding, care must be taken to ensure that the use of the funds offers European added value. A project always has a recognizable European added value if it is in line with the defined Specific Objectives of the AMIF and corresponding implementation measures, and if it reaches the target group specified in the respective Specific Objectives. The requirements for the target group apply regardless of whether the planned project is aimed directly or indirectly at the target group.More information on the framework conditions can be found in the Call for Proposals.

The AMIF contribution is made by way of partial funding up to a maximum of 75 percent of the total eligible expenditure. The AMIF contribution may be increased to up to 90 percent of the total eligible expenditure for certain measures identified in the Call for Proposals.

The minimum funding amount must be at least €100,000 for the first and each subsequent full year of the project's duration. The minimum funding amount also applies to projects with a duration of less than one year.

Project measures may begin on 1 January 2021 at the earliest and must end by 31 December 2029 at the latest. The maximum funded project duration is 36 months. The project duration is not linked to the calendar year.

Applications for project funding from the AMIF are open to legal entities under private or public law as well as partnerships and international organizations. Natural persons are excluded from AMIF funding.

Who are the Target Groups of Project Measures?

All target groups addressed by the measures eligible for funding under the four Specific Objectives are defined in Section 10 of the Funding Directive (German: Förderrichtlinie). For the definition of the term ‘third-country nationals’, please refer to Section 10 subs. 1 sentence 5 of the Funding Directive. The respective target groups for the Specific Objectives are detailed below.

Specific Objective 1: Strengthening and developing the common European asylum system

  1. Third-country nationals who have filed an application for international protection within the meaning of Directive 2011/95/EU in conjunction with Directive 2013/32/EU or for asylum pursuant to Article 16a of the Basic Law (Ger-man: Grundgesetz) – or have been registered as applicants – and on whose application a final decision has not yet been issued;
  2. Third-country nationals with refugee status or subsidiary protection status within the meaning of Directive 2011/95/EU in conjunction with Directive 2013/32/EU, recognized persons entitled to asylum and third-country nationals enjoying temporary protection within the meaning of Directive 2001/55/EC;
  3. Third-country nationals who are resettled in the Federal Republic of Germany or in another EU Member State willing to accept them, or who are accepted for humanitarian reasons, or who are or have been transferred from another EU Member State to the Federal Republic of Germany or to an EU Member State;
  4. Third-country nationals in migration who are in their countries of origin or in transit countries.

Specific Objective 2: Strengthening and further developing legal migration to EU Member States in accordance with economic and social needs and supporting the effective integration and social inclusion of third-country nationals

  1. Third-country nationals who reside lawfully and permanently in the Federal Republic of Germany or are in the process of obtaining lawful and permanent residence in the Federal Republic of Germany; residence is deemed to be lawful and permanent if the person has obtained a permit for permanent residence-EU, a settlement permit, or a residence permit of at least one year or has held a residence permit for more than 18 months, unless the stay is of a temporary nature. Excluded, however, are third-country nationals who are staying in the Federal Republic of Germany for the purpose of studying or participating in a pupil exchange, an unpaid training measure or a voluntary service within the meaning of Directive 2004/114/EC or 2016/801/EC, or for research purposes within the meaning of Directive 2005/71/EC or 2016/801/EC;
  2. Closest relatives within the meaning of Article 16 paragraph 10 in conjunction with Annex III to Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 of persons belonging to the target group referred to in letter (a) may be included in the measures referred to in this paragraph to the extent necessary for the effective implementation of those measures;
  3. Third-country nationals who, according to the regulations of the Residence Act (German: Aufenthaltsgesetz), also in conjunction with the Integration Course Ordinance (German: Integrationskursverordnung, IntV) and German Language Promotion Ordinance (German: Verordnung über die berufsbezogene Deutschsprachförderung, DeuFöV), have access to an integration course or a vocational language course (e.g. persons with a tolerated stay permit);
  4. Third-country nationals who are in possession of a residence permit pursuant to Section 24 subs. 1 of the Residence Act;
  5. Third-country nationals who have been granted or are in the process of obtaining a residence permit/visa for the purpose of seeking employment for skilled workers (Section 20 of the Residence Act) or for the purpose of seeking an apprenticeship placement for the purpose of undergoing qualified vocational training (Section 17 subs. 1 of the Residence Act).

Specific Objective 3: Contributing to efforts countering illegal migration and enhancing safe and dignified return and readmission as well as contributing to and supporting the first steps towards effective reintegration in third countries

  1. Third-country nationals who have not yet received a legally binding decision rejecting their application for international protection or for a residence permit in the Federal Republic of Germany and who could opt for voluntary return;
  2. Third-country nationals who are in possession of a residence permit or who have been granted international protection within the meaning of Directive 2011/95/EU in conjunction with Directive 2013/32/EU or temporary protection within the meaning of Directive 2001/55/EC in the Federal Republic of Germany and who have opted for voluntary return;
  3. Third-country nationals who are staying in the Federal Republic of Germany and who do not fulfil or no longer fulfil the requirements for legal residence, including third-country nationals for whom the enforcement of removal has been postponed pursuant to Art. 9, 14 subs. 1 of Directive 2008/115/EC;
  4. Third-country nationals who have actually left the Federal Republic of Germany either voluntarily or forcibly due to an official or judicial decision;
  5. Third-country nationals in migration who are in their countries of origin or in transit countries.

Specific Objective 4: Enhancing solidarity and the equitable sharing of responsibilities among Member States, in particular regarding those Member States most affected by migration and asylum challenges, including through practical cooperation

  1. Third-country nationals who have filed an application for international protection within the meaning of Directive 2011/95/EU in conjunction with Directive 2013/32/EU – or have been registered as applicants – and on whose application a final decision has not yet been issued;
  2. Third-country nationals with refugee status or subsidiary protection status within the meaning of Directive 2011/95/EU in conjunction with Directive 2013/32/EU as well as third-country nationals or stateless persons enjoying temporary protection within the meaning of Directive 2001/55/EC;
  3. Third-country nationals who are resettled in the Federal Republic of Germany or in another EU Member State willing to accept them, or who are accepted for humanitarian reasons, or who are or have been transferred from another EU Member State to the Federal Republic of Germany or to an EU Member State;
  4. Third-country nationals in migration who are in their countries of origin or in transit countries.

What is the Procedure?

If you are considering applying for funding from the AMIF, you are welcome to seek advice from the staff at the approval centres.

Application and project processing take place digitally via the IT data system for the Internal Funds ITSI. As part of the application process, the project executing agency must first register in ITSI. Once the application details have been fully entered into ITSI, ITSI creates a PDF document which must be signed by the authorized signatory using a QES service and then uploaded back into ITSI so that the application is legally valid.

The AMIF Managing Authority checks the submitted applications based on formal and material verification criteria within the framework of a uniform assessment system. This assessment system was discussed with the Länder, welfare associations and selected NGOs according to the partnership principle and decided upon by the AMIF Monitoring Committee.

The affected Länder, federal ministries as well as specialist departments of the BAMF are involved in the project evaluation and asked for a vote, which is included in the review.

The AMIF Management Authority will contact the applicants in the event of queries or if changes are required with regard to the applications submitted.

A rejection or funding decision will be issued as soon as the assessment has been completed.

Cooperation Projects

Cooperation projects have proven their worth in previous funding periods and are expressly desired by the AMIF Managing Authority. They are particularly suitable for enabling supraregional or nationwide project measures, involving smaller executing agencies in funding, strengthening existing networks and establishing new ones.

Cooperation partners are organizations that are actively involved in the implementation of project measures and that have a significant influence on project implementation. This is done, for example, by performing project-related activities or providing specific services. Expenses incurred by the cooperation partner are claimed by the funding beneficiary from the AMIF Managing Authority.

The AMIF Managing Authority actively supports the formation of cooperation projects. The approval centres organize various formats for this purpose, such as regional meetings and workshops, and provide individual advice on the prerequisites for successful project cooperation.