Temporary Protection - Germany | DIP EUAA
PDF generated on 2026-03-01 05:04
Germany transposed the Temporary Protection Directive in 2002 by Section 24 of the Residence Act. The Federal Ministry of the Interior activated temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine in Germany by ordinance which temporarily exempts persons displaced from Ukraine and staying in Germany from the requirement to hold a residence permit. It entered into force on 9 March 2022 and the decision applies retroactively from 24 February 2022.
The ordinance has been renewed and extended several times, with the most recent extension from 22 November 2024, which foresees an extension until 4 March 2026.
25 February 2008: Law on the Residence, Employment and Integration of Foreigners in the Federal Territory 1) (Residence Act - AufenthG) § 24 Granting of Residence for Temporary Protection | Gesetz über den Aufenthalt, die Erwerbstätigkeit und die Integration von Ausländern im Bundesgebiet 1) (Aufenthaltsgesetz - AufenthG) § 24 Aufenthaltsgewährung zum vorübergehenden Schutz
Regulation on the temporary exemption from the requirement of a residence permit for persons who entered Ukraine on the occasion of the war (Ukraine Residence Transitional Regulation - UkraineAufenthÜV) | Verordnung zur vorübergehenden Befreiung vom Erfordernis eines Aufenthaltstitels von anlässlich des Krieges in der Ukraine eingereisten Personen (Ukraine-Aufenthalts-Übergangsverordnung – UkraineAufenthÜV)
First Ordinance Amending the Ukraine Residence Permit Continuation Ordinance (1. UkraineAufenthÄndFGV)
Ukraine Continued Validity of Residence Regulation (Ukraine-Aufenthaltserlaubnis-Fortgeltungsverordnung (UkraineAufenthFGV))
| Area | Competent national authority | Assistance to the competent authority (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Screening at the external border (if relevant) | Federal Police | Bundespolizei | n/a |
| Biometric data (if relevant) | n/a | |
| Granting temporary protection | Foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) | Section 24 of the Residence Act |
| Issuing the residence permit | Municipalities | Depending on the city where the person registers, a confirmation of registration will be issued. In some cities, after the registration, applicants may still need to go to another authority to apply for a residence permit according to Section 24 of the Residence Act or obtain accommodation. In other cities everything is done together at the same location |
| Providing accommodation | Federal states | People who are in immediate need of accommodation and state benefits are distributed among the federal states (Bundesländer) according to the “Königsteiner Schlüssel”. |
| Medical care | Sozialamt | Social Services Office | Since 1 June 2022, beneficiaries of temporary protection need of assistance have been entitled to benefits under the Second or Twelfth Book of the German Social Code (SGB II or SGB XII). This gives SGB II benefit recipients access to statutory health insurance (SHI) and therefore to the full range of SHI benefits. |
| Social welfare | Sozialamt | Social Services Office | n/a |
According to Section 24 of the Residence Act the following categories of people are eligible for temporary protection:
- Ukrainian nationals and their family members who resided in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and who do not have a residence permit required for long-term residence in the federal territory can enter and reside for 90 days from the initial entry. Temporary protection for Ukrainian nationals and their family members whose residence permit issued under Section 24 of the AufenthG is still valid on 1 February 2025 is automatically extended until 4 March 2026.
These categories of people do not need to apply for an extension of their residence permit with the immigration authorities.
- The temporary protection for stateless persons and nationals of third countries other than Ukraine who fled from Ukraine to Germany whose residence permit issued under Section 24 AufenthG is still valid on 1 February 2025 and who were under international protection or an equivalent national protection in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, or the family members of Ukrainian nationals or stateless persons and nationals of third countries other than Ukraine who enjoyed international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, or who lawfully resided in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 on the basis of a valid permanent residence permit issued under Ukrainian law is automatically extended until 4 March 2026.
These categories of people do not need to apply for an extension of their residence permit with the immigration authorities.
According to Section 24 of the Residence Act family members are the following categories of people who are eligible to apply for temporary protection:
- Spouses on certain conditions, unmarried partners, minor unmarried children and, on certain conditions, other close relatives, even if they are not Ukrainian nationals.
More information in this circular on who is considered a family member or close relative
Temporary protection for stateless persons and nationals of third countries other than Ukraine who fled to Germany from Ukraine and who did not have a permanent right of residence in Ukraine ends on 5 March 2025. Since 5 June 2024, they are no longer issued a temporary protection status based on a decision made by the German government (in accordance with Article 2(3) of the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382).
More information available on the BAMF website
Foreign nationals normally require a residence title, such as a visa or residence permit, to enter and legally reside in Germany.
Germany has issued an ordinance to exempt Ukrainian nationals who do not have a biometric passport from the requirement to hold a residence permit to enter and stay in Germany.
The application for a residence title, usually a residence permit under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act, must be submitted to the local foreigners authority within 90 days of first entering the country.
More information on the BAMF website
Information platforms (websites)
- Information portal Germany 4 Ukraine of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), also available as mobile phone application and can be downloaded for Android and Apple iOS. The portal provides up-to-date information, such as a FAQ website on entry and residence as well as Language and Integration Courses.
- Frequently asked questions page on the website of the Federal Ministry of labour and Social Affairs providing information about labour and social benefits in Germany.
Leaflets
- BMI, BAMF and Deutsche Bahn have compiled information on entry into Germany and train travel, access to accommodation and numerous offers of assistance. These are available via QR code and website in trains, buses and train stations. More information here
- Overview of support (Auf einen Blick: Hilfe für Geflüchtete aus der Ukraine) for displaced persons from Ukraine in Germany.
An application for a residence permit according to Section 24 of Germany’s Residence Act can be submitted to any foreigners' authority offices (Ausländerbehörde), usually at the place where they reside. This application can also be submitted online to the Foreigners’ Authority through Germany4Ukraine.
There are four consecutive steps: initial registration, assignment to a place of residence (in case of social benefit receipt), registration of the residential address at the place of destination, and application for a residence permit.
After the application is submitted and biometric data are recorded, the registration office issues a certificate/confirmation of registration attesting the status of the applicant for temporary protection.
The foreigners' authority grants temporary residence for a period of temporary protection, as assessed in accordance with Articles 4 and 6 of the directive.
Residence permits for eligible beneficiaries are automatically renewed when the validity of temporary protection is extended by the national authority. Applicants have the right to challenge a decision of the foreigners' authority. Specific provisions for exclusion or termination of temporary protection apply under the Residence Act which specifies the grounds under which temporary protection is not granted and a residence permit will be denied. Temporary protection is not granted if the conditions stipulated in Section 3(2) of the Asylum Act or Section 60(8), sentence 1 apply.
| Registration | For registration, displaced persons should contact the foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) or the police (including at any major train station). To find out which Foreigners’ Registration Office is responsible for processing the request, the applicant can search by entering the postcode of the place of residence. Detailed information on registration is currently available in many cities. In some cities, they may need to go to another authority after the registration in order to get accommodation or financial assistance and to apply for a residence permit, according to Section 24, German Residence Act. In other cities, everything may be done in one place. If they do not have private accommodation, they may have to travel on to another federal state or another city. Since 2 May 2022, a new application FREE (Fachanwendung zur Registerführung, Erfassung und Erstverteilung) is used for the distribution of Ukrainian refugees among the federal states. FREE was developed and designed on short notice by BAMF, in close cooperation with the federal states. Previously, Ukrainian refugees were distributed through the EASY system for the initial distribution of asylum seekers. Online services for applying for a residence permit are available in the Länder. |
|---|---|
| Residence permit | Depending on the city where the person registers, a confirmation of the registration will be issued. In some cities, after the registration, applicants may need to go to another authority to apply for a residence permit, according to Section 24 of the Residence Act or obtain accommodation. In other cities, all steps are done at the same location. Displaced persons who decide to obtain a long-term right of residence or to receive social support or work can submit an application for a residence permit to the Foreigners’ Authority through the platform Germany4Ukraine. |
| Legal aid | Legal aid is possible if there is a reasonable prospect of success. The application must be submitted to the competent court. |
| Appeal | Information is currently not available. |
| Exclusion | The Residence Act specifies the grounds under which temporary protection is not granted and a residence permit will be denied. Temporary protection is not granted if the conditions stipulated in Section 3(2) of the Asylum Act or Section 60(8), sentence 1 apply. |
| Termination/Withdrawal | The grounds for termination or withdrawal of temporary protection are laid down in Section 24 of the Residence Act Temporary protection was last extended until 4 March 2027. |
People who are in immediate need of accommodation and state benefits are distributed among the federal states (Bundesländer) according to the “Königsteiner Schlüssel”. Local authorities and their immigration and social welfare authorities are responsible for accommodation and care if this cannot be provided by friends or relatives.
More information on accommodation and housing for refugees from Ukraine is available here
Initial reception: People who cannot be accommodated by friends or relatives are accommodated in (initial) reception centres according to the usual procedure.
Accommodation: In principle, local authorities and their immigration and social welfare authorities are responsible for accommodation and care if this cannot be provided by friends or relatives.
Provision for means to obtain housing: information is currently not available
Other types of accommodation: information is currently not available
| Rights | Description |
|---|---|
| Access to the labour market | Holders of a residence permit are allowed to work, according to Section 24 of the Residence Act. The Foreigners’ Authorities issue provisional residence documents upon application. These documents satisfy residence regulations until a residence permit can be issued. The Foreigners’ Authority will also note on the provisional residence document that paid employment is permitted. This means that the provisional residence document already allows for self-employment or salaried employment. Regulated professions require prior recognition, e.g. doctors, lawyers, nurses or engineers. More multilingual information on the recognition of qualifications is available in a handbook and on the information portal of the German government for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees published information on free welcome services, integration courses and language support for displaced Ukrainians war refugees to help with their initial orientation in Germany. More information about employment is provided in a FAQ by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in German, Ukrainian, Russian and English. |
| Access to medical care | Since 1 June 2022, refugees from Ukraine in need of assistance have been entitled to benefits under the Second or Twelfth Book of the German Social Code (SGB II and SGB XII). This gives SGB II benefit recipients access to statutory health insurance (SHI) and the full range of SHI benefits. Following registration, they are issued a certificate (arrival certificate or certificate indicating the nearest reception centre) which they can present at the agency responsible for granting assistance. Persons in need of assistance can apply for benefits (Überbrückungsleistungen) from the social services office (Sozialamt) if they do not yet have health insurance. These benefits also cover emergency medical treatment. The Federal Ministry of Health has a website on healthcare for displaced Ukrainians. All citizens from Ukraine have access to healthcare, including COVID-19 vaccination and testing. War-wounded and severely ill citizens in Ukraine are transferred from Ukraine to German hospitals. Doctors in many cities offer medical and psychological support free of charge to displaced persons from Ukraine. For example, Berlin has 500 such doctors listed. Free psychological support from doctors, psychologists or advisers who speak Ukrainian can be obtained at different places, e.g. Ipso-Care and Medflex. |
| Social welfare assistance and means of subsistence | People who are only able to work to a limited extent or who receive an old age pension can receive money from the social welfare office (social assistance). One of the requirements for citizen's allowance and social assistance is that they have a residence permit in accordance with Section 24 of the Residence Act or a corresponding ‘interim residence permit’ (Fiktionsbescheinigung) from the immigration authority. |
| Education | All children are required to attend school from the age of 6 or 7. Education is regulated at the federal state level and regulations on schooling and registration may vary across federal states. Information on registration and schooling for each federal state is available in the handbook. Children who arrive in Germany with no German language skills may initially attend special language courses and get familiarised with German culture. More information about the schooling system is available here. |
| Family reunification | Displaced persons can bring their immediate family to Germany, including a spouse and minor children or parents of minor children. The usual requirements (securing a livelihood, passport obligation, etc.) do not have to be met. More information about family reunification is available in the handbook in several languages. The German Red Cross has tracing support centres to respond to questions about urgent tracing needs and family reunification. |
| Other | Integration programmes In addition, all persons within the scope of Section 24 of the Residence Act are eligible to receive counselling for adults, which provides general support to migrants with questions about housing, language courses, health, childcare, work etc. See here for more information. Bank accounts: Most banks provide online application forms. Information on basic accounts is available in German. To open a regular current account, the following documents are needed: a valid passport, residence permit, certificate of registration, pay statement (depending on the type of account). Driving: The validity of a Ukrainian driving license is defined by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. Pets: Entry requirements for pets are defined by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Transportation: Deutsche Bahn provides up-to-date information about travelling to as well as within Germany for displaced persons from Ukraine. More information on trains, free rail and local public transport tickets, and travel within Germany and to Germany’s neighbouring countries to the west, is available on the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees website. |
General description: Unaccompanied minors are taken into care of by the Youth Welfare Office which provides initial accommodation and oversees all official procedures. See here for more information.
Legal guardianship: Unaccompanied minors are taken into custody by the Youth Welfare Office upon arrival in Germany.
Accommodation: The Youth Welfare Office provides initial accommodation and oversees all official procedures.
Education: All children are required to attend school from the age of 6 or 7. Education is regulated at the federal state level and regulations on schooling and registration may vary across federal states. Information on registration and schooling for each federal state is available in the handbook.
Children arriving to Germany with no German language skills may initially attend special language courses and get familiarised with German culture.
The IOM and Violence against Women Support Hotline published a leaflet in German, Ukrainian, Russian and English with important safety information about risks in human trafficking for displaced persons from Ukraine. The federal police warned women travelling alone not to accept suspicious accommodation offers and to only turn to official authorities.
The Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and Federal Minister of the Interior announced that Germany will take in 2,500 displaced persons from Ukraine who are currently in Moldova, in particular persons with disabilities, elderly people, people with serious illnesses, mothers traveling alone with children and wounded people. An airlift from Moldova to Germany was initiated on 25 March 2022:
- First flight from Moldova on 25 March 2022 with 134 displaced persons from Ukraine arriving at the Frankfurt International Airport.
- Second flight arrived on 1 April 2022 with 117 displaced persons from Ukraine at the Erfurt Airport in the federal state of Thuringia.
Information currently not available.