Central Register of Foreign Nationals (Germany)

The Central Register of Foreigners ( AZR ) is a German database, stored in the approximately 20 million personal records to foreigners. Among these are data of 4.47 million EU citizens (as of February 2009).

Logged data are of foreigners in Germany who have a residence permit or had and had coveted by those who covet asylum or recognized asylum seekers.

This basic personal data, personal alias, editing comments are (including immigration authorities and reference), expulsions, deportations (with further details), rejections, conditions, limitations, Visa, etc. are stored.

The register is maintained by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees and operated by the Federal Office of Administration. The AZR is one of the most comprehensive automated register of public administration in Germany.

Access to this large database have 6,500 partner agencies, including, inter alia, all immigration authorities, the Federal Commissioner for Asylum and the German police and customs services (via INPOL new).

Legal basis

Legal basis for the register is the Law on the Central Register of Foreigners ( AZRG ) 2 September 1994 ( Federal Law Gazette I 1994). Furthermore, inter alia, applies the Regulation on the Implementation of the Law on the Central Register of Foreigners ( AZRG DV ) of 17 May 1995 ( Federal Law Gazette I 1995, p 695).

History

Predecessor of the Central Aliens Register was introduced in 1938 foreigners central file. As early as 1953 " [ ... ] the call for made ​​' enhanced surveillance of foreigners in the Federal territory ' out loud again, and retry under the name Central Register of Foreigners ( AZR ). 1967 AZR was converted as one of the first data collections on automatic data processing and 1990 on the initiative of the Federal Office for the Recognition of Foreign refugees ( BAFl ) the unification of the national databases of the asylum systems online ( Asylon ) and the AZRs completed. "

Criticism

Privacy advocates criticize the AZR for a long time. In 2000, the Federal Office of Administration has been a Big Brother Award for the operation of the Central Aliens Register, as this constitutes an " institutionalized official discrimination against non-German citizens in the Federal Republic." The European Court of Justice ruled in December 2008 (Case C-524/06 ) that in the AZR to EU citizens only such data may be stored, the residence status for the application rules are required. Any use of the data to fight crime and for statistical purposes is inadmissible.