Baden-Württemberg and 13 other federal states have agreed on a procurement process. Lower Saxony government expects the card to be available in the summer or autumn.
It is intended to provide part of the state benefits for asylum seekers in Germany as credit in the future. Cash can only be withdrawn with the new card up to a certain monthly amount. The payment card should not exclude the purchase of certain goods or services, warned Anja Bartel, co-director of a refugee council.