Refugee organisations say many want to ‘go and have a look’ after fall of Assad regime but fear losing asylum rights

Syrians in Germany have called on the government to allow them to travel to their home country for short visits without risking their protection status, as questions mount over how the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime will affect the millions of Syrians who live in Europe.

More than a month after a lightning advance by rebels toppled the Assad family’s 54-year rule, the residency status of many Syrians across Europe remains in limbo. A dozen or so countries across the bloc responded to the regime’s ousting by suspending the processing of asylum application from Syrians, with Austria going one step further to say it was preparing a “repatriation and deportation” programme.