Author
According to the law, UNHCR has access to all facilities and is allowed to get in contact with asylum seekers.[1] NGOs have contracts in 7 out of 9 federal provinces for providing social counselling. and visit reception centres of the federal provinces regularly. In two federal provinces, Carinthia and Tyrol, the social advice is provided by the federal administration. NGOs that do not fall under such contracts must file an application at the responsible office of the federal province to be granted access and visit asylum applicants. Access to detention facilities, including airport facilities, is difficult for NGOs in so far as they can only access if they already have some basic identification information on detained applicants, such as a name and date of birth.[2] The state agency BBU that provides legal counselling is bound by secrecy and is for this reason hindered from passing on information about clients to NGOs.
[1] Article 63(1) AsylG.
[2] Article 21, 22 AnhO.