Hamburg asylum benefit processing delays reach 98 days

Asylum seekers in Hamburg are facing significant delays in receiving legally mandated benefits. According to Senate data, the average processing time for new applications from individuals not staying in arrival centers reached 98 working days in mid-September. While the Senate noted that applications submitted since March have a shorter average processing time of 72 working days, critics argue this does not mitigate the hardship caused by months of waiting.

The delays have placed a heavy burden on the Hamburg Social Court, where the number of urgent proceedings related to asylum benefits has increased by 40 percent since January. Additionally, the number of weekly appointments available in emergency consultation hours has dropped from 180 in December to 90.

Members of The Left party in the Hamburg Parliament have criticized the Senate's handling of the situation, stating that the introduction of a digital web portal and artificial intelligence has failed to resolve the administrative backlog. They have called for more appointments, improved communication, and better administrative staffing to address the growing crisis.