Reference Federal Office for Migration and Refugees

Uniform processes for the BAMF

More about the project

Security and uniformity of data by means of blockchain

Together with Telekom MMS, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has tested a future-proof technology selection with blockchain on the basis of a POC (proof of concept). It was confirmed that this technology improves cross-agency collaboration. Furthermore, using this technology results in an optimisation of asylum procedures, increases data security and prevents possibilities of misuse.

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We hope that we will use blockchain technology not only across all agencies but also across department boundaries within an agency. We also want to achieve a shared, trustful basis for communication with other European partners. In all areas in which a great amount of comprehensive data sharing takes place, blockchain technology can be the solution for mapping it in a tamper-proof way Mr. K. Munsi, Manager of the Software Development Unit, Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Nuremberg

Benefits to our customer

These improvements are also reflected throughout the participant side of the process chain:

  • Improvement of the integrity of data for asylum applications

  • Improvement of cross-agency collaboration

  • Prevention of misuse of the asylum procedure

Requirements

Requirements

For the improvement of cross-agency asylum procedures

The entire federal competence in the area of asylum, migration and integration is concentrated at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). This federal authority is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of the Interior and is responsible for a broad range of tasks. In addition to implementing asylum procedures, this also includes the coordination of integration support and a separate department for migration research in order to sustainably advise political and other stakeholders. The numerous decentralized locations and branch offices as well as the subtle details of individual legal bases and their particular application areas require a clear and consistent structure – one that makes it possible to view the current status and each completed process step in the asylum procedure at any time.

So far, the various participants in the process are using different systems for data management, which makes collaboration more difficult on an in-house level as well as across the various agencies. Providing optimal support for the process from A to Z, however, requires the introduction of a system that supplements the previous solutions to the point of guaranteeing an optimal and transparent procedure.

The agency processes also involve a large amount of highly sensitive data, including delicate asylum applications, whose security is a top priority.

This POC has proven that using blockchain technology results in an overall process integration that creates high transparency without requiring any compromises in terms of data protection and data security; on the contrary, it actually improves these.

 

Solution

Of an asylum procedure supported with blockchain technology

The solution to the question of a secure technology that can be superimposed on the existing infrastructure with little effort and still remains user-friendly was found in Ethereum blockchain technology. Under consideration of the legal asylum processes, Telekom MMS implemented the blockchain infrastructure into the cross-agency system architecture that was prepared with the BAMF beforehand.

The first implementation was based on Private Permissioned Ethereum. Hyperledger Fabric is now also being used, which is a framework whose modular architecture makes it possible to design blockchain networks based on the desired organisational structure. Fabric is an expedient solution particularly for permissioned blockchains – networks with previously integrated permissions – since each participant is assigned a fixed identity and security aspects such as authentication and authorisation can be mapped accordingly. The use of smart contracts also enables a technical implementation of the process logic behind an asylum procedure.

To ensure that the employees can optimally operate this new technology, Telekom MMS also assisted BAMF in the development of surface designs with the help of GUI and interface design.

 

Benefits

Uniform processes prevent misuse

Standardising the data acquisition and management results in the required transparency and ensures an improvement in cross-agency asylum procedures, which ultimately means that the processes will run more smoothly throughout Germany. This relieves the participants in the process, which includes not just the caseworkers but also the social facilities and police. At the same time, this “smoothing out” also makes it easier for the affected persons to deal with their procedures.

Furthermore, they can be assured that the integrity of their data is always secure, since blockchain technology offers a solid protective mechanism here. An improved collaboration between the various agencies and other stakeholders also prevents misuse of the system, which can increase trust in the state.

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The BAMF and Telekom MMS are currently discussing the development of this accomplished success story beyond the proof of concept into a pilot project. The customer has recognised and confirmed the added value of an additional blockchain layer in the IT landscape of the BAMF. We’re confident that the cooperation with the BAMF will continue to develop so that we can keep providing support with our competence and commitment. Dr. Gudymenko, IT Security Architect and Technical Project Manager

About the BAMF

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is a higher German federal authority in the division of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) with its headquarters in the former South Barracks in Nuremberg. The Federal Office is the central migration agency with competencies in the areas of migration, integration and return.

Do you have any questions?

Dr. Cornelia Mossal

Corporate Communication

+49 351-28 20-0
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