Rhineland-Palatinate starts payment cards for refugees: First steps in Trier!

Rhineland-Palatinate starts payment cards for refugees: First steps in Trier!

In Rhineland-Palatinate, a new payment card system for refugees is introduced, which facilitates access to government services in shops. This measure aims to improve the life situation of asylum seekers and at the same time regulate cash withdrawals. In the coming days, the first payment cards in the initial reception facility Trier are to be output. Asylum seekers receive the cards directly when registering, with the prospect that another five recording facilities will follow in the context of a successful pilot project.

The payment cards allow the refugees to pay in shops and offer them the opportunity to collect up to 130 euros in cash at ATMs. This is a higher amount compared to other federal states, where the upper limit for cash withdrawals is often 50 euros, which was considered too little, in particular by the ministries in Rhineland-Palatinate, Bremen and Thuringia. Integration Minister Almut Binz (Greens) described the maximum cash amount as a flexible guideline, which can be adjusted depending on the life and living situation of the asylum seekers on site. According to Tagesschau.de , the first cards were intended for ten selected refugees, with the intention of issuing up to 70 more.

criticism and concerns

Despite the positive approaches, there are also critical voices about the new system. The Rhineland-Palatinate district council expressed concerns that the cash amount of 130 euros was too high and that incentives could disappear to work. The proposal here is to limit this amount to 50 euros in order to make the refugee easier to integrate. Lisa Diener from the city's day also criticized that the information on the payment card is currently too vague and that uniform handling between the municipalities would be important.

Proponents of the payment card hope for a positive development, since less incentives are expected to become irregular migration and less money transfers in home country. Nevertheless, critics doubt the actual effect of these measures on migration.

The way to the payment card

The introduction of the payment cards is part of a gradual approach that has been in operation in Rhineland-Palatinate in two municipalities, the Rhein-Palatinate district and the city of Pirmasens since spring 2024. This credit -based system enables refugees to manage their financial resources more flexibly and thus better integrate into society.

Overall, the introduction of the payment card shows that Rhineland-Palatinate is going a new way to meet the needs of refugees. Should the pilot project in Trier go successfully, nothing stands in the way of a nationwide introduction in other parts of the country. Further details and developments are certainly observed carefully, while the political discussion about the payment card continues. According to Rheinpfalz.de bring.