GERMANY 659 1. Statistical Data UN figures for 2013 show 32 Palestinian refugees and 244 Palestinian asylum seekers in Germany.660 This appears to be the only year for which UNHCR has accurate data for Germany, and no details are available regarding the disposition of applications. 2. Refugee Status Determination: The Process Upon entering Germany, individuals can apply for asylum at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)). They also can declare their request for asylum protection to border officials or to the police, who will direct them to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.661 There, they will be assigned to an appropriate initial reception center, and where they should remain for between six weeks and three months.662 During this time, the asylum application must be made in person at a branch office of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees,663 where the asylum seekers undergo an identification process, in which their personal data, photograph and fingerprints are taken.664 Once an application has been filed, the asylum seeker will receive a short-term permission to stay for the purpose of completing the asylum procedure. This permission allows the individual to reside only in a specific area near the initial reception center of residence during the first three months.665 After the first three months, asylum seekers are allocated to accommodation in a commune within the federal state.666 This may be an apartment but most commonly are shared accommodations.667 Asylum seekers are not allowed to reside anywhere except in the federal state to which they are allocated and need the prior approval of the authorities before they can change their place of residence or travel to another federal state (“residence requirement”).668 In all reception centers, social services are provided to asylum seekers. Asylum seekers are not allowed to work in the 659 Laura Hilb, Academic Assistant, and Elena Enns, law student, at the University of Gießen Refugee Law Clinic reviewed and contributed to this section. 660 UNHCR, “UNHCR Population Statistics - Persons of Concern Time Series” (last visited Aug. 21, 2014). 661 State of Germany, “Asylum Procedure Act (Asylverfahrensgesetz, AsylVfG),” July 27, 1993, http:// www.refworld.org/docid/48e5d6582.html, Sections 18(1) and 19(1). 662 Ibid., Section 47. 663 Ibid., Section 23(1). 664 Ibid., Section 16. 665 Ibid., Sections 55 and 56. 666 Ibid. Section 50. 667 Ibid., Section 53. 668 Ibid., Section 58. Survey of Protection at the National Level 133