5 Afghan nationals transferred to Bulgaria under the Dublin III Regulation.

On 1 December 2021, a Dublin charter-return operation to Bulgaria organised by Austria took place under special COVID-19 protective measures. A total of 5 Afghan nationals were handed over to the authorities in Sofia in accordance with the Dublin III Regulation.

The rules of the Dublin III Regulation, which are binding on all EU Member States, ensure that each application for international protection can be processed quickly by the Member State responsible and that the protection assessment in the EU is carried out only once.

Within the framework of the so-called Dublin procedure, it is determined which European Member State is responsible for the examination of the asylum application and a consultation procedure with this Member State is initiated. If the respective Member State agrees to take back the asylum seeker concerned, an examination is conducted by the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA) and subsequently a decision is issued.

The admissibility of an expulsion is always examined in a comprehensive and individual process based on the rule of law.