The verb "ankommen" means "to arrive" in German, so the word serves as a fitting name for a new app developed by the German government to help refugees adapt to a new life far away from home.

Developed by the country's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, the Federal Employment Agency, the Goethe Institute and public radio persona Bayerischer Rundfunk, the app is marketed as a guide for asylum seekers during their first few weeks in Germany. Ankommen essentially works as a starter kit for most of the major bases for living in a foreign country, including introductory courses in the German language, resources and how-tos for finding vocational apprenticeships and jobs, an overview of German laws and customs and tips for claiming political asylum in the first place.

"Understanding how Germany works is the basis for getting on well together," reads the description available on the app's website. "Everyone has the same obligations and has to obey German laws. But everyone has the same rights too. In this app you get to know the rules of this country and learn what you have to pay attention to."

While the app is available in Arabic, English, Farsi, French and German — ostensibly for a bevy of different types of emigres from a diverse array of cultures — its release comes during a time of overwhelming media attention (and sometimes international political scrutiny) over German immigration policy. The outpouring of Syrian asylum seekers, which began late last year, has made the app an even more imperative tool for many who find themselves trying to pave their way in a foreign country.

Currently, the app is available for Android via Google Play, with plans to adapt it for the iOS platform in the near future.

Via: The Verge