A Syrian migrant family who named their daughter Angela Merkel in honour of the German chancellor have had their asylum application to remain in the country rejected.

Mamon Al-Hamza arrived in Germany last year with his wife Tema, who gave birth to a baby girl in December last year.

And to show their gratitude to Merkel and her open door policy which allowed them to seek refuge in Germany, their new arrival, who was born in Duisburg was named Angela Merkel Al-Hamza.

Syrian migrants Mamon and Tema Al-Hamza pictured with their daughter they named Angela Merkel. They have been told their asylum application to stay in Germany has been rejected

To show their gratitude to the German chancellor and her open door migrant policy, the couple named the child Angela Merkel

However, the family who now live in the city of Moenchengladbach claim they have now received a letter from authorities, saying that their asylum application to remain in Germany had been declined.

The letter means that the family will eventually be asked to leave the country and travel back to the first safe country that they passed through, which is probably Turkey.

And now Mr Al-Hamza has admitted: 'The letter has given me great fear.'

But despite the rejection, the family has received so-called 'subsidiary protection' which will allow them to stay in Germany temporarily.

Discussion about immigration looks set to dominate next year's elections in Germany, with Chancellor Angela Merkel's open door policy coming under fire.

The status, under EU law allows them protection from deportation, which may apply to asylum seekers who would be at risk of serious harm if they returned to their home country, but who do not fit the strict definition of a refugee.

In practice, it means that the famile will be allowed to remain in Germany for a year, but cannot bring any family members to the country from Syria.

The protection can be extended twice for two years and if during that period the family can secure a job and their knowledge of German is sufficient, they might be allowed to stay.

A spokeswoman of the Federal Office for Migration explained that little Angela and her family was not allowed asylum as they had travelled through a safe, third, country on their way to Syria.

Almost all Syrian migrants in Germany arrive through a third country like Turkey, which explains why numbers on those being given permanent asylum has dropped

Figures from 1 January to October 31, 2016 show that of 250,008 Syrian applicants, only 577 were given asylum.

The family has received so-called 'subsidiary protection' which will allow them to stay in Germany temporarily

A total of 150,276 were recognised as refugees and may stay for the next three years in Germany, but 93,925 Syrians like the Al-Hamza family received subsidiary protection.

Discussion about immigration looks set to dominate next year's elections in Germany, with Chancellor Angela Merkel's open door policy coming under fire.

An estimated 1.1 million immigrants entered Germany last year.