On The Protection Of Stateless Persons In Germany 47 Article 28 since the 1954 Convention does not contain any such reservation in this regard.60 A ‘lawful stay’ within the sovereign territory of a contracting State must be given for claiming the right according to the first sentence of Article 28 of the 1954 Convention.61 The Federal Administrative Court clarified that, due to the absence of specific guidance in the 1954 Convention, national law determines what lawful stay is.62 It reasoned that even if this leads to a different treatment of stateless persons in different contracting States, this inequality shall be accepted, as States reserved to themselves the right to determine this matter. However, it added that the only limitation is that States should not ‘dodge’ their obligations under the Convention by misusing national law.63 According to the Federal Administrative Court, ‘lawful’ stay’ implies a special relationship between the person in question and the State through a consolidation of the right to stay. A de facto presence is not sufficient, even if the State accepts it.64 Thus, neither the toleration nor the permission to stay pending an asylum application are sufficient to meet this requirement.65 However, an exception applies if the authorities grant toleration and deportation is not 60 61 62 63 64 65 VGH Baden-Württemberg, 21.04.1993, InfAuslR 1993, 379; furthermore: BVerwG, 16.07.1996, InfAuslR 1997, 58, 60 (the administrative act which requires an alien to eliminate statelessness through repatriation/ naturalization is void). BVerwG, 17.03.2004, BVerwGE 120, 206-218; Hailbronner, Brenner, Maaßen, (n 5) I.G.IV.2.28. VGH Bayern, Beschluss v 7.10.2008 - 10 C 08.1640, 10 C 08.1641. This is confirmed by paragraph 14 of the Schedule of the Convention according to which the law that regulates the authorization, transit, settlement and departure in the sovereign territory of the contracting States remain unaffected. BVerwG, 16.10.1996, BVerwGE 87, 11, 17. UNHCR takes the position that ‘lawful stay’ requires a duration of presence in the territory and usually a residence permit would fall under this category (without taking the form of permanent residence). UNHCR, Guidelines No. 3 (n 57) para 18. BVerwG, 16.10.1996, BVerwGE 87, 11, 15; ; Hailbronner, Brenner, Maaßen, (n 5) I.G.IV.2.28. BVerwG, 16.10.1990, Buchholz (Sammel- und Nachschlagewerk der Rechtsprechung des Bundesverwaltungsgerichts, Collection and reference book of the judiciary of the Federal Administrative Court) 402.22 Art 1 Gerichtskosten (GK, Court costs) Nr 21, 13. On this point, the German case law is in line with UNHCR’ s. UNHCR Guidelines no 3 (n 58) paras 16. When toleration is granted, the deportation of a person is temporarily suspended but he is still obliged to leave the country. BVerwG, 16.10.1990, BVwerGE 87, 11, 18; VGH Baden-Württemberg, 31.03.1993, Verwaltungsblätter für Baden-Württemberg (VBIBW, Administrative Gazette for Baden-Württemberg) 1993, 482, 483; OVG Niedersachsen, 30.09.1998, DVBl 1999, 1219-1221. tilburg law review 19 (2014) 35-51