In principle, you have to leave Germany when your application for asylum is rejected. Same applies to you if you have entered Germany without a visa or residence permit and have not applied for asylum. Under certain circumstances, however, you may be granted a tolerated stay permit or "Duldung".
You may be issued a "Duldung", if:
- there is an obstacle to deportation, i.e. your deportation is not feasible due to legal or practical reasons. This is the case, for instance, when you do not have a passport, you are unable to travel due to your health conditions, or when there are no flight connections to your home country. In such situations, you must be permitted a tolerated stay, i.e. the Immigration Office is obliged to issue you a "Duldung".
- you should stay in Germany for important humanitarian or personal reasons. This is the case, for instance, when you are about to graduate from school, need to complete medical treatments, care for a sick family member in Germany, or take part in pre-vocational courses or study in a university. In such situations, the Immigration Office can grant you a "Duldung", although they are not obliged to do so ("Ermessensduldung").
- the public interest requires your further presence in Germany. This is the case, for instance, when you are a witness in a lawsuit.
- you start a qualified school-based vocational training programme or a dual degree course. In such cases, you will be granted a so-called educational tolerated stay or "Ausbildungsduldung" if you meet certain preconditions. In contrast to other forms of tolerated stay, the educational tolerated stay is valid for the entire duration of your training/education, i.e. usually two to three years. For more on "Duldung", see the section "educational tolerated stay or Ausbildungsduldung (3 + 2 regulation)” below.
- you have been holding a "Duldung" for at least 12 months, you have an ID issued by your country, you have been working for at least 35 hours a week for at least 18 months, you are not receiving aids from the Social Welfare Office, you have an A2 (or higher) language certificate, and you have come to Germany before 01.08.2018. If you meet all of these requirements, you will be issued a so-called "Beschäftigungsduldung" valid for 30 months.
- the Ministry of the Interior in your federal state or the German Federal Ministry of the Interior has issued a deportation ban for people from your country. However, such a decision is made rarely and only in cases of acute disaster. It may happen if, for instance, there is a famine in your home country.
Contact a counselling centre or a lawyer to learn more about your options and whether you can be issued a tolerated stay permit. You can search for a lawyer or a counselling centre, namely on the ProAsyl website.