Berlin – Germany: An embassy is the official representation of a state abroad. It is expected to treat people seeking consular services with respect, professionalism, and transparency.

As a German citizen, I visited the Somali Embassy in Berlin together with my children. My children are Somali citizens, as is their mother. My purpose was to complete a consular matter concerning my children.

During my visit, I was told that I also had to obtain Somali citizenship. I was explicitly told that this was mandatory.

This statement raised a fundamental question for me: If my children are already Somali citizens, why would the German parent himself be required to obtain Somali citizenship in order to handle a consular matter concerning his Somali children?

If this is indeed a legal requirement, the relevant legal or administrative basis should be clearly identified.

There are also questions concerning consular fees. According to the information available to me, a Somali passport costs €240 at the Embassy in Berlin, while the official fee is reportedly €60, with that amount transferred directly to the relevant Somali immigration authority.

This raises the question of how the difference is calculated and how the remaining amount is used.

Similarly, a certificate confirming Somali citizenship is reportedly charged at €120, while only €10 is said to reach the relevant Somali authority. This difference also requires a clear and official explanation.

In addition, services related to the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) are reportedly charged at €30 per person. Here too, there should be transparency regarding where the money goes, who manages it, and the legal or contractual basis on which the fee is collected.

There are also concerns and reports regarding who may benefit from revenues and contracts connected to NIRA services. Such claims should be verifiable through official documents, including contracts, procurement records, and transparent payment channels.

The Somali community has the right to know why certain services are made mandatory, what the actual fees are, who receives the payments, and what legal basis supports each fee.

This article is not intended as a direct accusation against any particular person or institution. Rather, it is a call for transparency, clarity, and accountability. The purpose is to raise these concerns in a factual and balanced manner and to seek clear, official, and verifiable explanations regarding the matters and fees mentioned above.

An embassy is the face of a state abroad. Therefore, consular services should be based on clear legal grounds, and all fees should be presented in a transparent and understandable manner.

If everything is lawful, transparency can dispel doubts. If there are irregularities, accountability can help provide a solution.

Transparency and accountability build public trust.

About the Author
Ali Hassan is an investigative and freelance journalist who writes and works in Stadthagen, Germany.