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Summary: The interview (Anhörung) at BAMF is the most important stage of an asylum case. The decision is based largely on what you say in the interview and how credible it is. This guide helps you go calmer and better prepared. This article is not legal advice; also talk to an asylum counsellor or lawyer.
How is the interview held?
- A BAMF official (Entscheider) asks you questions and an interpreter helps. Under the new reform the interview is audio-recorded.
- You may bring a lawyer or a companion.
- Topics: identity, family, education and work, route of travel, reasons for leaving Iran, specific events (arrest, summons, threats) and fear of return.
- By law you must state all the reasons that prevent deportation; something you do not say at all is hard to prove later.
Before the interview
- Talk to a counsellor: they review your case and practise the interview with you (free counselling).
- Write a timeline: dates, places and events in order (for yourself only). Make Iranian and Gregorian dates consistent.
- Gather documents: anything that shows your story: summonses, verdicts, messages, photos and videos of events, medical records, membership certificates, a baptism certificate (for conversion), social media posts, and copies of your passport and birth certificate.
- Announce sensitive issues in advance: if you have psychological trauma, sexual violence or a gender-related issue, ask your counsellor how to request an interviewer and interpreter of the same sex.
During the interview
- Tell the truth. If you do not remember something, say so; do not guess.
- Explain with concrete detail: what happened, where, when, who, how you felt. General, short answers are viewed as weak.
- Your answers must be consistent with your documents and earlier statements (for example at registration); serious inconsistency damages credibility.
- If you do not understand the interpreter properly or the translation is wrong, say so at that moment.
- You can ask for a break to calm down.
After the interview
- Ask for the minutes or transcript (Niederschrift/Protokoll) and read it with the interpreter and counsellor; if anything is wrong, correct it quickly in writing.
- Send supplementary documents and keep a receipt.
- Next steps: waiting for the decision.
Specific tips for Iranians
Human-rights sources such as PRO ASYL have reported that in Iranian cases the following topics are usually examined: participation in protests, social media activity, religious reasons (including conversion), gender and ethnic minorities. BAMF’s view is not always the same as the courts’ view, and a considerable share of refusals have been overturned in court. Details: common reasons and useful documents.
Common mistakes
- Presenting fabricated documents or a made-up story: the most dangerous mistake.
- Not mentioning a sensitive part (for example violence or sexual orientation) in that interview and raising it later, which reduces credibility.
- Not reading the transcript.
- Going without counselling.
Note: this article is general guidance and not legal advice. Asylum law in Germany changed with the EU reform (GEAS) from 12 June 2026 and procedures may differ between cities. For your own case, be sure to seek help from an independent asylum counsellor or a lawyer. Last reviewed: October 2026.
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