GENEVA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Tuesday that since July 2016 it has assisted more than 50,000 vulnerable migrants with family reunifications in Germany through its family assistance program.
The program supports family reunification applicants in Iraq, Turkey and Lebanon during the visa application process for Germany. Initiated and funded by Germany, the program helps applicants correctly complete forms and prepare documents in order to reunite with close family members already granted asylum in Germany.
"The project also works to dissuade refugee families from seeking unsafe, irregular migration channels," said IOM press officer Joel Millman, "It helps to support German consular staff and to help refugees integrate into German society successfully."
The IOM said more than half a million Syrians and Iraqis have registered for asylum in Germany since 2015. Approximately 355,000 of them have been granted refugee status, said the IOM citing the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
Most of them arrived taking a perilous boat journey and left behind their family members. Under German laws, those granted refugee status qualify for family reunification.
