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End of Reception Phase

The applicant’s stay in reception is temporary. The ‘end of reception’ phase focuses on leaving the reception system and can include:

  • transition to the integration pathway for applicants who are granted a form of international protection
  • transition to return for those who receive a final negative decision on their application for international protection
  • transfer to another Member State under the AMMR responsibility determination procedure.

Member States must ensure that applicants are provided with an adequate standard of living throughout their stay in reception, including the period leading up to the end of reception. This final phase of the reception pathway – the end of reception – should be managed in a manner that respects the applicants’ dignity, safety and fundamental rights, ensuring they benefit from essential support during this transition.

A key objective of reception authorities and staff working in reception is to implement measures that prepare applicants to exit reception as independent, informed and self-reliant individuals. Such measures must be initiated early and continued throughout the reception pathway. They must include: 

  • ongoing information provision
  • tailor-made support according to individual circumstances
  • coordination with other relevant stakeholders (e.g. NGOs or international organisations providing counselling and support with voluntary return, transfers).

The EUAA Operational Standards and Indicators on Reception including Vulnerability-related Aspects, 2026, include standards and indicators that provide guidance to the Member States that implement or intend to implement measures oriented towards the applicant’s integration or voluntary return (Section 5.9 Preparing the end of reception: measures oriented towards the applicant’s integration or towards voluntary return, Standards 129131, p. 169-171). These standards underline that information on available early integration measures and on available voluntary return options in line with the national legislation should be provided regularly and be available to all applicants. 

As early integration measures, the relevant standards refer to various activities, such as language courses, civic education and vocational training, which should be available and accessible to all applicants. In addition, where permitted by the national legislation of the Member State, applicants should be allowed to participate in voluntary work outside the reception centre (Standards 129-130, p. 169-170). The standard on voluntary return emphasises that such an option should be made available and be promoted to applicants, in line with the national legislation (Standard 131, p. 171).

For more information visit the:

  • Integration page for information provision after receiving a positive decision on the asylum application. 
  • Return page for information on return throughout the reception pathway and at the end of reception.
  • Transfer to the responsible Member State page for information to be provided when preparing a transfer under the responsibility determination procedure. The physical transfer of an applicant to another Member State which is responsible for examining the application constitutes the end of reception. Please note that this page currently redirects to content from the EUAA Practical Guide on information provision during the Dublin procedure. A second edition of the guide based on the AMMR provisions is planned for the future.