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At its latest meeting (April 9, 2025), the Aachen City Council decided by a majority to make use of the state government's opt-out regulation and reject the introduction of a payment card for refugees. The decision applies retroactively from January 2025.

The council had already "emphatically" spoken out against a payment card in October last year - if the relevant state legislation allowed it. Originally, both the federal and NRW state parliaments had decided to introduce a payment card for benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act at the end of 2023. It was not until December
2024 that the
implementation form for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia was issued as part of a corresponding ordinance. This contains an opt-out provision that allows local authorities to decide not to introduce the payment card in their area of responsibility. As the council resolution of October 2024 did not meet the formal conditions for the application of this opt-out regulation, it was necessary for the Aachen Council to revisit the payment card.

In Aachen, refugees generally receive their social benefits by bank transfer to a current account, in exceptional cases as a cheque. "In the view of the Aachen City Council, the introduction of such a payment card has no advantages over the current practice of the City of Aachen, but many disadvantages for the users," says the corresponding submission.