Germany will toughen its screening process for anyone seeking refugee status, the interior minister has said, as the country expects close to one million newcomers this year.

Personal interviews will be reintroduced for all applicants including Syrians, who have for the past year only had to provide information in writing, Thomas de Maiziere said yesterday.

"I have deemed it necessary to reintroduce individual assessments for all refugees and asylum seekers -- regardless of which country they come from," the minister said, without naming a start date.