Since 2021, the financial cost of the admission programs for people from Afghanistan has mounted to hundreds of millions of Euros, according to data revealed in a response by the Federal Government to an inquiry by the AfD parliamentary group.
A major factor contributing to these high expenses is the restrictive approach adopted by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, which has reportedly delayed or contested the implementation of admissions already promised. According to the figures provided, the government has spent approximately €118 million since 2021 to cover the accommodation, meals, and medical care for applicants who held a binding promise of admission. Of this total, about €23.9 million was expended during the current parliamentary term. For comparison, the total expenditure on flights to Germany between 2021 and April 2026 amounted to €21.9 million. The government source, citing the statement from Deputy Parliamentary State Secretary Daniela Ludwig (CSU), noted that most individuals traveled via charter flights rather than scheduled commercial routes.
The programs were launched by the Federal Government in the summer of 2021 following the Taliban’s seizure of power. The goal was to facilitate the exit of former local workers, human rights activists, and other vulnerable individuals. The number of people who have actually arrived in Germany has been reported inconsistently. While the CDU parliamentary group cited a figure of around 37,000 entries at the Bundestag’s Interior Committee last year, the Ministry’s own response to the current AfD inquiry states that roughly 34,000 people arrived in Germany through these programs between 2021 and April 2026. As of early April, several hundred people remained in Pakistan who had received an admission confirmation or status but had not yet been flown out.
While the current center-right government intends to conclude the admission programs “as much as possible” this effort is legally disputed. In mid-April, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled that the government must temporarily continue ensuring the care for those affected. Several constitutional complaints concerning the government’s actions have since been lodged with the Constitutional Court, and a decision is expected in the near future.