Table 1. Legal areas, legally relevant age limits, and legal issues in Germany (for detailed comments see [e18]).

Legal area	Age limit (n) (years)	Legal issue(s)	Legislation
Criminal Law	14	Criminal responsibility	§ 19 StGB
Criminal Law	18, 21	Applicability of youth or adult criminal law	§ 1 JGG
Family Law	18*1	Guardianship	§ 1773 BGB
Immigration Law	16*2	Capacity for actions and processes	§ 80 AufenthG, § 12 AsylVfG
Social Law	18	Taking into care unaccompanied minors by youth welfare offices	§ 42 SGB VIII
Social Law	18	Granting educational assistance	§§ 27 ff. SGB VIII

^*1For refugee minors, the question of majority age can be made according to the specifications of the country of origin.

^*2The German federal government has a bill that would raise this age limit to 18 years.