Syrian refugees in KRG wait for Family Unification to Europe
ERBIL, Iraq (North Press) – For more than two years, Zayna Muhammad, a refugee from Qamishli, northeast Syria and residing in Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG), has been waiting for a good news from her husband, who is residing in Germany, to meet him again.
Muhammad has been residing in KRG with her four children for four years.
The wife, who thought that she could join her husband within months or at least, a year, is still waiting.
Every day, she calls her husband asking him about “procedures of reunification.”
Meanwhile, he always answers “be patient, we are working to obtain the permanent residency.”
In April, Dr. Dindar Zebari, the KRG Coordinator for International Advocacy revealed that there are about 238,345 Syrian refugees in KRG.
Number of Syrian refugees in the KRG reached 241,682 until December of 2020, according to the latest statistics of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
“Better life and future”
As a result of the atrocity of Syrian war, thousands of Syrian families resorted to the KRG for hope of heading to Europe seeking “better life and future,” according to many Syrian refugees.
Most of the families thought that one of the spouses, usually the husband, has to travel to a European country, where he can obtain a residency document that helps him to start reunification procedures to bring the rest of the family according to the laws of the residency country.
However, it was more harder than planned.
Family Unification’s laws differ from one country to another in terms of the kinship, official documents required for (permanent or temporary residence), and material matters (house and salary) in the country of residence.
After her husband travelled to Germany, Sama al-Saleh (pseudonym), a Syrian lady residing in Erbil, is forced to work in a shop for ten hours on daily basis in order to secure expenses of her two children, whom she leaves with her old mother.
Whereas, her husband is not able to send money to his family, “because the money he receives from German government is not sufficient,” according to what her husband told her.
Her husband is facing difficulty in finding a job as he has not obtained a permanent residency, which requires him to wait for extra two years.
Al-Saleh will continue her job until she receives “happy” news from her husband regarding obtaining residency and starting the family unification procedures.
Incomplete precautions
Thinking that they took all precautions into consideration, another family from Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain), northeast Syria, sent their 16-year-old son to Germany two years ago.
Following the Turkish invasion against the city of Sere Kaniye in October 2019, the family resorted to the KRG, where they lived in Dar Shukran Camp.
After the father, who was heading towards Europe, was arrested in Greece more than two years ago, the family took the decision to send their son to Germany.
Majority of the Syrian refugees in the KRG are residing in nine camps, of which four in Duhok, four in Erbil, and one in Sulaymaniyah.
A number of refugee camps, which were found in the period between 2011 and 2012, have improved after Syrians managed to turn their tents into houses with about 100 square meters.
Meanwhile, Bardarash Camp, which was found after the aggression against Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad by Turkey and Turkish-backed armed groups, is the only camp left with tents.
The family hopes that family unification’s procedures of their son will be easier, “Since European governments sympathize with minors.”
“My son has almost reached the age of puberty and has not yet obtained residency,” Sherin Ali, mother of the minor, said.
although the situation in Germany “is not as some imagine, and the son still lives as a homeless there,” the family hopes that their son will obtain permanent residency to begin the procedures for family unification.