Germany to Use ‘Dialect Recognition’ Software to Verify Migrants’ Countries of Origin

BERLIN (AP) — Germany plans to test software that can automatically recognize a person’s dialect to help determine whether asylum-seekers are really where they claim they’re from.

Germany’s Office for Migration and Refugees confirmed a report on the pilot project Friday by the Die Welt newspaper.

An agency spokeswoman says the software would complement existing methods used to verify a person’s identity.

Andrea Brinkmann told The Associated Press that officials would still rely on a range of information, including documents presented by the asylum-seeker and an expert opinion, before reaching a final conclusion.

Authorities have expressed concern that some asylum-seekers from Arab countries are claiming to be from Syria in hopes of increasing their chances of staying in Germany.

Last year officials commissioned 1,405 language analyses, up from 431 in 2015.