Austria plans tougher stance against asylum seekers who misrepresent identity

Newly-proposed measures from the Austrian interior ministry mean asylum seekers who lie about their personal details upon entering the country could soon face tougher penalties.

Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka presented the measures at a press conference here on Friday, local media reported.

The measures carry penalties ranging from monetary fines to imprisonment when asylum seekers misrepresent their identities.

Further included in the extensive package are tougher penalties for persons who do not leave the country despite their asylum applications having been rejected, as well as those who leave but then attempt to re-enter the country.

Concerning serious offences, the process of rejecting asylum can begin in tandem with criminal proceedings. The speeding up of the process could lead to deportations taking place within a month.

Sobotka said the measures were in particular to tackle the issue of false information given by asylum seekers in order to improve their chances of obtaining asylum.

They have now been passed on to the defense ministry, who will subsequently conduct a review. The interior ministry believes the measures could come into effect as early as Spring 2017. Endit