A growing number of Ukrainian war refugees are reportedly holding Hungarian citizenship, raising complex political and bureaucratic questions within Germany and prompting concerns about potential welfare fraud. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) has flagged 1,136 cases this year alone where Ukrainian asylum seekers may also possess Hungarian nationality, according to information released to “Welt am Sonntag”.
The surge in reported cases – 141 in the last four weeks originating from Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia – highlights a potentially systemic issue, with a total of 9,640 suspected cases reported to Bamf since May 2023. While 568 individuals have been confirmed as Hungarian citizens, 5,825 have been verified as solely Ukrainian.
The phenomenon appears primarily concentrated among refugees originating from the Ukrainian-Hungarian border region, where individuals may legitimately possess dual citizenship allowing them freedom of movement and residence within the European Union. Crucially, holding EU citizenship negates their eligibility for temporary protection status and direct access to social welfare programs like the “Bürgergeld” (roughly equivalent to unemployment benefits).
Several state ministries speculate that the motivation behind concealing Hungarian citizenship varies, but concerns about exploitation of the Mass Influx Directive, which grants immediate access to welfare for qualifying Ukrainian citizens, are increasingly prevalent. A spokesperson for the Thuringian Ministry of Migration stated that the reasons behind non-disclosure are unknown, but the possibility of “benefit abuse” cannot be dismissed. The directive’s generous terms, intended to swiftly aid refugees, inadvertently create an incentive to falsely claim Ukrainian citizenship.
Bamf is responsible for relaying these suspicion cases to Hungarian and Ukrainian authorities for verification of citizenship. Confirmation of Hungarian nationality effectively disqualifies refugees from receiving specific protections afforded to Ukrainian war refugees. EU citizens facing financial hardship are generally expected to return to their country of origin – in this case, Hungary – and are not entitled to prolonged state support, contributing to a growing political debate about the fairness and efficiency of current refugee integration policies. The situation also raises questions regarding the effectiveness of initial registration processes and the potential need for stricter verification protocols when processing applications for temporary protection.