Temporary Protection - France | DIP EUAA
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France transposed the Temporary Protection Directive in 2003 with Law 2003-1116 on Immigration Management, Stay of Foreigners and Nationality. The legislative provisions are in Articles L. 581-1 to L. 581-10 of the Code of Entry and Stay of Foreigners and of the Right to Asylum (CESEDA).
The government activated temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine with the instruction on the application of temporary protection for Ukrainian nationals on 10 March 2022. Following the latest extension, residence permits are valid until 4 March 2027.
Articles L. 581-1 to L. 581-10 of the Code of Entry and Residence of Foreigners and of the Right to Asylum | Code de l'entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d'asile (CESEDA)
| Area | Competent national authority | Assistance to the competent authority (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Screening at the external border (if relevant) | ||
| Biometric data (if relevant) | Prefectures | |
| Granting temporary protection | Prefectures | |
| Issuing the residence permit | Prefectures | |
| Providing accommodation | French Office for Immigration and Integration | Office français de l’immigration et de l’intégration (OFII) | |
| Medical care | Assurance Maladie | French National Health Service | |
| Social welfare | Sécurité Sociale | French National Social Security | Caisse d’allocations familiales (CAF) | French government agency for housing assistance and other benefits |
According to the instruction on the application of temporary protection for Ukrainian nationals from 10 March 2022, the following categories of people are eligible for temporary protection:
- Ukrainian nationals who were residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022;
- Ukrainian nationals present on 24 February 2022 on the territory of an EU Member State under a visa exemption or a Schengen visa;
- Non-Ukrainian nationals under protection (international or equivalent national protection) granted by Ukrainian authorities before 24 February 2022;
- Non-Ukrainian nationals holding a valid permanent residence permit issued by the Ukrainian authorities and who are not able to return to their country of origin in a safe and sustainable manner; and
- Family members displaced from Ukraine after 24 February 2022 of a person falling under one of the previous cases.
Third-country nationals whose asylum application was under consideration in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 can apply for asylum in France. Ukrainian nationals already holding a residence permit in France, which is about to expire, should contact the prefecture to have their individual situation assessed.
According to the instruction on the application of temporary protection for Ukrainian nationals from 10 March 2022, family members are the following categories of people who are eligible to apply for temporary protection: spouse, unmarried minor children and dependent relatives.
All travellers entering and leaving the Schengen area are subject to systematic checks at air borders (as well as sea and land borders).
Information platforms
- Ministry of the Interior platform for Ukrainians "Pour l'Ukraine"
- Information on temporary protection on a dedicated page of the website of the Ministry of the Interior, including FAQs on Ukrainian refugees.
- The French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) website with information on temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine (in French and Ukrainian)
- Dedicated page by the government which provides an overview of all available resources on Ukraine.
Leaflets/publications
- Ministry of the Interior, Livret d'accueil en France pour les déplacés d'Ukraine/Welcome leaflet Handbook for displaced persons from Ukraine in French and Ukrainian.
- Ministry of the Interior, You wish to apply for temporary protection in France (leaflet) in English, French, Ukrainian and Russian
Hotlines/contact lines
Information on contacts and emergency numbers are available on the platform “Pour l'Ukraine”
Other (videos, campaigns, etc.)
Civil society organisations:
- France Terre d'Asile, Practical information
- Forum Réfugiés-Cosi, Ukraine - practical information
- La Cimade, Practical information for persons arriving from Ukraine
An application for temporary protection can be submitted to the prefecture at a dedicated registration point. After the application is submitted and biometric data are recorded, the prefecture issues a temporary residence permit (autorisation provisoire de séjour – APS) on the same day, for a 6-month period attesting the status of the applicant for temporary protection.
Residence permits for eligible beneficiaries are renewed when the validity of temporary protection is extended by the national authority. The request to renew the temporary residence permit must be done between 3 weeks and 3 days before it expires. The renewal can be done at the prefecture where the beneficiary resides.
Applicants have the right to challenge a decision of the prefecture within 2 months.
Specific provisions for exclusion or termination of temporary protection apply under national legislation (instruction from 10 March 2022).
| Registration | Registration is at the local level and must be done in person at the prefecture. Biometric data are taken in person at the prefecture. Three dedicated reception points were created in:
In all other cases, applications for temporary protection are made at the prefecture of the department where the displaced person is staying (a map is provided on the government’s dedicated webpage). If the file is complete and admissible, the applicant obtains a temporary residence permit free of charge and then is referred to the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII). Documentation: Persons applying for temporary protection may present a passport or an identity card which is valid or which has expired for less than 2 years, or an Ukrainian consular certificate. For proof of civil status, a national identity card, passport or a document proving civil status (family record book, for example) may be presented. |
|---|---|
| Residence permit | A temporary residence permit (autorisation provisoire de séjour - APS) on French territory bearing the mention “beneficiary of temporary protection" is issued for a 6-month period. The APS can be renewed throughout the validity of the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022. The request to renew the APS must be done between 3 weeks and 3 days before it expires. The renewal of the residence permit can be done at the prefecture where the beneficiary resides. |
| Legal aid | Foreign nationals under temporary protection have access to legal aid under ordinary law conditions. Several civil society organisations can provide support, including legal counselling. Useful links are provided in the Livret d'accueil en France pour les déplacés d'Ukraine / Welcome leaflet Handbook for displaced persons from Ukraine. Legal assistance and representation may be provided in accordance with the general provisions applicable for legal proceedings and subject to the condition of insufficient financial resources. |
| Appeal | The grounds for an appeal of a decision on temporary protection are laid down in the Code of Administrative Justice. Decisions made by the prefecture are subject to an appeal before the administrative courts. An appeal must be lodged within 2 months from the date of notification of the decision. In principle, the appeal has a suspensive effect. Decisions related to accommodation can also be appealed before an administrative court. |
| Exclusion | The grounds for exclusion from temporary protection are laid down in Article L. 581-5 of CESEDA. A foreigner may be excluded from temporary protection in the following cases: - There are serious or consistent indications that they may have committed a crime against peace, a war crime, a crime against humanity or a serious ordinary crime committed outside French territory, before being admitted as a beneficiary of temporary protection, or that they have been guilty of acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations; - Their presence in France constitutes a threat to public order, public security or State security. |
| Termination/withdrawal | A temporary residence permit can be withdrawn from the beneficiary of temporary protection for reasons of public order, including fraud (e.g. identity fraud, false declaration, departure from France to another Member State, etc.). |
After obtaining the temporary residence permit, displaced persons are referred to the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII).
The Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Territorial Cohesion jointly established a monitoring committee for the reception of Ukrainians, which brings together all associations of locally elected officials who wish to support the government in its actions on the matter. This committee can provide local authorities, in real time, with useful information on the arrival of displaced persons, organise reception with local authorities and identify the needs of locally elected officials in managing the movements of displaced persons.
The accommodation and housing system, coordinated by the prefect of the department, is structured in three main stages, namely: i) the initial emergency reception at arrival; ii) then moving to transitional ad hoc accommodation for a few months; and finally iii) longer-term accommodation.
Initial reception: At the initial stage, emergency reception is offered on arrival for one to two nights, including for people in transit, and usually near the main points of arrival (train stations, airports, etc.). The accommodation can be in hotels, gyms, etc.
Once temporary protection is granted, beneficiaries move to ad hoc accommodation which is usually collective accommodation (e.g. in a holiday centre), where they can stay up to several months.
Accommodation: Public sector services and bodies, including prefectures, are fully mobilised to identify additional accommodation capacity.
Other accommodation places offered by individuals are also currently assessed. The platform "Pour l'Ukraine" provides different services, such as information on accommodation as well as on emergency numbers, welcoming booths in France and contacts of prefectures for people displaced from Ukraine. The platform also includes information on support offered by civil society organisations, companies, local authorities and private individuals, including accommodation offers, and redirects them to the relevant websites.
UNHCR in France published a study looking at all stakeholders involved, i.e. citizens, public and private sectors, which individually or jointly worked on finding accommodation solutions for displaced persons from Ukraine in an emergency context. It provides a set of several recommendations. The full study is available in French on the UNHCR France website.
Provision for means to obtain housing: Beneficiaries of temporary protection may access private housing and social housing. In this respect, they may receive a lump sum from a personalised housing benefit (aide personnalisée au logement – APL), in addition to their asylum seeker’s allowance.
Other types of accommodation: n/a
| Rights | Description |
|---|---|
| Access to the labour market | In accordance with the French Labour Code, beneficiaries of temporary protection are authorised to work as soon as they obtain their temporary residence permit. Potential employers should file a foreign employee authorisation request. More information is available on the website for Ukrainians (under "Rights"). In fact, beneficiaries of temporary protection can register to receive offers of jobs from “France travail” (the French employment agency), which can also identify specific profiles. For additional information consult the Overview of national measures regarding employment and social security of displaced persons coming from Ukraine - Country Fiches by the European Labour Authority. |
| Access to medical care | Upon arrival in France, beneficiaries of temporary protection may be affiliated to the public health insurance system and entitled to the complementary health scheme for 1 year on presentation of the temporary residence permit. More information on healthcare is available on the website for Ukrainians (under "Rights"). |
| Social welfare assistance and means of subsistence | Beneficiaries of temporary protection receive the monthly asylum seeker's allowance (allocation pour demandeur d'asile – ADA), for the duration of their protection if they meet the conditions of age and resources. OFII is responsible for this allowance, which is a fixed amount depending on the family situation and the resources of the household. OFII provides and updates information on its website on how beneficiaries of temporary protection who are entitled to receive the ADA can extend their rights to the allowance. The form to apply for an extension was made available online in French and Ukrainian. |
| Education | Children must have access to education. The French Education Code guarantees access to education and makes it mandatory for all children aged 3 to 16, and sets out the obligation of training for minors aged 16 to 18 years. School registrations take place in city townhalls for children from 3 to 10 years old, and in the nearest middle or high school or in the national education service of the department for children from 11 to 18 years old. Different support services (e.g. language learning, financial support, etc.) are available and can be consulted at the local level. Students displaced from Ukraine can file a request for registration in the French higher education system through the Campus France agency. Training to learn French and the values and functioning of French society is accessible online in four languages (FR, EN, UK and RU). More information on schooling for displaced persons from Ukraine is available on the website of the Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports including a list of contact points and the website for Ukrainians. |
| Family reunification | According to Article L. 581-6 of CESEDA, Family reunification for beneficiaries of temporary protection is possible for: - Family members who are under temporary protection in another Member State - Direct family members not yet present in any Member State The request for family reunification should be addressed to the prefect of the department which takes into account the reception capacities in the respective department. |
| Other | Information on opening a bank account and acquiring a driving license is available on the website for Ukrainians (under "Rights"). Beneficiaries of temporary protection can register to take the driving license exam. Family tracing is undertaken by the French Red Cross. Pets: Dogs and cats entering the EU from Ukraine must usually meet the following regulatory requirements: animal identification; valid rabies vaccination; titration with favourable result – 3 months before importation; and have an original health certificate. A person who has recently entered French territory with an animal that does not meet these regulatory requirements is invited to contact a veterinarian or the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations as soon as possible for health surveillance. Information is available on the website for Ukrainians (under "Rights"). More information also available on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food website . |
Unaccompanied minors are referred to the competent child welfare service (Aide sociale à l’enfance – ASE) in the respective department. Unaccompanied minors can call 17 (police number) or go to the police station, gendarmerie, prefecture, town hall or an association to report themselves and be taken in charge in order to receive the appropriate support and assistance.
In case of danger or a risk of danger, minors should call 119 (special national number for children in danger).
Legal guardianship: A legal representative is appointed as soon as possible.
Accommodation: Accommodation services are provided immediately to unaccompanied minors pending a more long-term solution.
Education: All children must have access to education. The French Education Code guarantees access to education and makes it mandatory for all children aged 3 to 16, and sets out the obligation of training for minors aged 16 to 18 years.
Displaced persons from Ukraine can refer their specific needs for accommodation or assistance to the prefecture of the department. More information is available on the website for Ukrainians (under "Rights").
In 2022, France pledged to relocate 2,500 displaced persons from Moldova, along with 16 EU+ countries.
The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs has an overview of humanitarian operations here (April 2025).
Having temporary protection does not preclude the right to be granted refugee status or subsidiary protection, thus a person can apply for international protection even though they fall under the Council implementing decision. The asylum application will follow the common procedure. If international protection status is not granted, the temporary protection status will remain (Article L. 581-4 of CESEDA).