Frequently asked questions for people affected by the Ukraine crisis.
The visa obligation is waived for brief stays of a maximum of 90 days within each 180-day period for Ukrainian citizens who hold a biometric passport or Ukrainian substitute passport (see following paragraph).
For persons who hold a Model 2015 Ukrainian ID card, this card shall, for a limited period ending on 23 February 2026, be recognized as a – current – substitute passport. The general ruling regarding said recognition is published in the German Federal Legal Gazette (BAnz AT 18.03.2022 B12), most recently extended on 27.01.2025 (BAnz AT 18.02.2025 B1), and went into effect as of 24 February 2022.
Ukrainian nationals who not are in possession of a biometric passport require a so-called Schengen visa for short stays. In the absence of a visa, identity will be determined by the Federal Police upon entry.
In these cases, entry into the sovereign territory of the EU, and thus also into Germany, is categorically not permitted. According to reports, this group of people often includes children lacking their own passports or for whom an entry in the mother's passport has not yet been applied for. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that members of this group of persons (not only children) will also have left Ukraine as a result of war activities.
The Council of the European Union passed a resolution on 4 March 2022 declaring the existence of a massive influx of refugees according to Article 5 par. 1 of Regulation 2001/55/EU of the Council of 20 July 2001 fixing minimum standards for provision of temporary protection. This regulation was published on 4 March 2022 in the EU Official Gazette and went into effect the same day.
With Implementation Decision (EU) 2024/1836 of the Council of Ministers of 25 June 2024, the temporary protection of displaced persons from Ukraine was most recently extended until 04 March 2026 since the reasons for said temporary protection still apply.
The German Federal Ministry of the Interior had stipulated in the Regulation of 7 March 2022 that the residence permit requirement (Temporary Ukrainian Residency Regulation) for non-citizens who were in Ukraine on 24 February and entered Germany is for the time being retroactively waived from 24 February to 23 May 2022. The Temporary Ukrainian Residency Regulation has since then been extended several times: The sixth such extension most recently extended the period of validity until 04 March 2026.
This means that, for non-citizens who were in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and entered Federal German territory by 04 December 2025 and did not hold the residence permit required for a long-term stay in the Federal Republic, the requirement to hold the residence permit required for a long-term stay in the Federal Republic is waived for a period of 90 days beginning with the date of entry into German Federal territory. Concurrently, these persons are to be permitted to obtain the residence permit required for a long-term stay in the Federal Republic.
The above does not, however, apply since mid-2024 to stateless persons and citizens of third countries other than Ukraine who were in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 without international or equivalent national protection or without documented permanent residency permission.
Schleswig-Holstein has published the regulations governing entry and residency of refugees from Ukraine.
Members of this group of persons whose visa-free stay is coming to an end can apply for a residence permit during their legal residence in Germany. The immigration / foreign nationals offices of the districts and independent cities are competent in these matters.
In such cases, both the period of validity and the period of stay of a Schengen visa may be extended free of charge if the visa holder is prevented by force majeure or humanitarian reasons from leaving the territory of the Member States before expiry of the visa. There is no good cause to reject the assumption of force majeure in view of the current warlike conflicts clearly extending to Ukrainian national territory in its entirety.
As per the resolution of the European Council of 4 March 2022 regarding determination of a massive influx of refugees according to Article 5 par. 1 of Directive 2001/55/EC of the Council of 20 July 2001 in conjunction with the Temporary Ukrainian Residency Regulation in the currently valid version, non-citizens who were in Ukraine on 24 February and entered Germany are, retroactively from 24 February – according to the currently valid 6th extension of the Temporary Ukrainian Residency Regulation – until 04 March 2026, not required to hold a residence permit. They are therefore also not required to undergo a visa procedure.
Reference is also made in this regard to the stipulations of the regulation regarding temporary waiving of the requirement to hold a residence permit for persons entering the country due to the war in Ukraine (Temporary Ukrainian Residency Regulation in the currently valid version).
The resolution passed by the Council of Europe on 04 March 2022 confirming a massive influx of refugees according to Article 5 par. 1 of Regulation 2001/55/EC renders § 24 of the Residence Act directly applicable.
Persons who hold a residence permit according to § 24 par. 1 Residence Act are expressly and unrestrictedly allowed, with validity since the legislative changes of 01 June 2022, to engage in gainful employment (§ 4a par. 1 Residence Act). This means both employment and self-employment are to be allowed without further restrictions. The residence permit is therefore to be issued with the entry “gainful employment allowed”.
Persons qualified according to § 24 who have submitted their application for a residence permit online to the Office of Immigration / Aliens’ Affairs will receive, immediately upon sending in their application, a submission summary they can print out confirming that they are allowed to engage in non-regulated gainful employment as soon as they have submitted their application.
Ukrainian citizens who have a residence permit or are staying in Germany without a visa are generally not obliged to live in reception facilities. The obligation to register and reside in a reception centre normally applies when an asylum application has been made. Then the general asylum regulations for admission and (nationwide) distribution apply.
Further regulations on the basis of the decision of the European Council are currently being drawn up by the Federal Government.
Federal Ministry for Migration and Refugees: The stages of the asylum procedure
Voluntary departures destined for Ukraine are possible and take place in some instances. Government repatriation assistance is also possible for voluntary departures destined for Ukraine with the REAG/GARP 2.0 programme (Reintegration and Emigration Programme for Asylum-Seekers in Germany).
Deportations are currently de facto impossible. The current security situation in Ukraine, as well as the closure of Ukrainian airspace to civil aviation, limits the crossing of Ukraine’s borders in both directions.
Persons subject to deportation are above all citizens of third countries who have fled Ukraine and do not hold a Ukrainian passport. As a rule, these persons lose their protected status and may be asked to leave Germany. This group of persons includes students, skilled workers and recognized refugees who have resided in Ukraine.
It is unclear at the moment how many Ukrainians will flee or be expelled from their home country and subsequently enter Germany. The admission quotas of the German States for persons seeking asylum or for whom the European Council has confirmed so-called "mass influx" are based on the so-called "Königstein Key". For Schleswig-Holstein, this means an admission rate of 3.4%.
Ukrainians who are granted temporary protection may have entered the country directly or have been accommodated briefly by the State Office of Immigration and Refugees. In keeping with their residence location requirements, they can stay with relatives or friends, can seek housing on their own, or they will be allotted accommodations by the communities as needed, which latter are obligated to provide accommodations according to the State Temporary Accommodations Act if the State Office confirms their allotment. Within this framework, the foreign nationals authorities must report persons who did not arrive in the country under the auspices of the State Office.
Depending on the local situation, accommodations will be provided in shared housing or in a flat. If these accommodations are not available due to massive influx, the communities may have to make emergency accommodations available.
Minors are considered unaccompanied if they enter the country without persons with custodial or guardianship rights; they are then considered to be “unaccompanied minor foreign nationals”.
Persons with rights of custody are normally the parents. Guardians are defined as persons of legal age who are assuming custodial duties in agreement with the parents that are more than temporary and do not apply solely to individual duties. This agreement need not be in writing. The local Youth Office will determine whether legal guardianship applies in specific cases.
When unaccompanied arrival of a child or youth is registered, the child or youth is initially entrusted to the care of the competent local Youth Office in a youth welfare facility, in some other form of accommodation or with a suitable care person. Suitable persons can be foster parents or other persons to whom the child or youth has developed a good relationship as a refugee.
The Youth Office responsible for standard welfare accommodation will arrange for designation of a legal guardian or supplemental care provider and decide what type of welfare is to apply to care of the child, his or her accommodation and other care.
Further information: Arrival in Schleswig-Holstein – Unaccompanied Minors
If you become aware of unaccompanied minors or would like to help by providing accommodations for children or youths from Ukraine, please contact the Youth Office in your community or city.
In Schleswig-Holstein there is a network including many offices providing counselling and support. There are immigration counselling offices for adult immigrants and the Immigration Counselling Office Schleswig-Holstein. These offices offer help starting on the first day regarding many questions of importance to you, e.g.
and will refer you to the responsible authorities.
Youth immigration services are available for young refugees and their families who come to Germany.
All of these services are open and free of charge to Ukrainians. However, you may be issued an appointment with a waiting period.
Ukrainians of both sexes will in most cases take part in integration courses. Integration courses usually last 600 hours and impart sufficient levels of oral and written language skills. Integration courses conclude with an examination. A so-called B1 Certificate can be obtained.
Detailed information on the integration courses: BAMF – Federal Office for Immigration and Refugees – Integration Courses
The BAMF-NAvI shows where integration courses are offered. To participate, you must apply for admission with the Regional Office of the Federal Office for Immigration and Refugees in 24539 Neumünster, Brachenfelder Straße 45. The sponsor of your language course can help with the application.
Ukrainians of both sexes can also attend initial orientation courses and STAFF courses. In these courses you will learn important things about everyday life in Germany and about locally available counselling and services while at the same time learning to speak the German language.
Here you will find information on the initial orientation courses
A STAFF Basic Course takes 300 hours. Here you will find additional information on the STAFF courses
Here you can see where initial orientation courses and STAFF courses begin or are already in progress: https://www.deutschkurs-sh.de/
The MiA (Female Immigrants Master Everyday Life) Courses are for women only. These courses take 34 hours and give women a chance to talk about various things and learn German while doing so. Shared outings help develop contacts with other women.
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees: Female Immigrants Master Everyday Life
If your German is already fluent enough you can also attend a professional language course. A work permit is a prerequisite. To find out if a professional language course is the right thing for you, contact an Immigration Counselling Office or the Employment Agency.
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees: German at Work
Ukrainians of both sexes have access to all of the language courses listed above. A residence permit acc. to § 24 Residence Act is required. A probationary certificate should include a reference to future issue of said permit so you can participate in a course as soon as possible.
Participation in the courses is free of charge. Transportation costs can also be remunerated. You will automatically be released from the cost contribution obligation when you register for an integration course. Documentation is not required.
You must expect some waiting time before getting into a course, since they are very popular. Many service offices also offer courses given by honorary instructors at which you can also learn German without a residence permit.
In some integration courses, initial orientation courses or STAFF courses it is possible to leave your children with child supervisors when you are attending the course. If you require child supervision while attending a course, ask your language course sponsor ahead of time where the child supervision is on offer. The sponsor will help you find the right offer for you so you can learn German even if you have children in your care.
Some language courses are also provided online. If you wish to attend an online course, speak with your sponsor about a suitable course for you. Tablets can also be borrowed for this purpose if you do not have a suitable device.
The International Organization for Immigration, together with the nationwide Coordination Centre Against Human Trafficking e.V., has put out a flyer that explicitly addresses persons at risk of falling victim to human trafficking when crossing borders. The flyer also includes contact data for the "Emergency Phone Number to Combat Violence to Women".
International Organization for Immigration: Information for people fleeing from Ukraine
Ukraine is a non-listed third country in which cases of rabies occur in household pets.
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture: Conditions for entering Germany with pet animals
Ukrainians are distributed to the municipalities after their stay in the reception facilities/state accommodations. Schleswig-Holsteiners who want to provide private housing for accommodation should therefore first contact their municipal or official administration.
Ukrainians will be distributed to the municipalities after their stay in the state accommodations. Residents of Schleswig-Holstein who wish to volunteer should therefore first inquire with aid organisations in their community or the competent administrative offices.
Donation accounts are published on the pages of non-profit aid organizations and charities.
This regulation stipulates the continued validity of residence permits according to § 24 Residence Act for foreign nationals entering Germany on or after 24 February 2022 due to the war in Ukraine for the duration of the temporary protection provided as per Article 4 of Directive 2001/55/EC of the Council defining the minimum prerequisites for provision of temporary protection.
The regulation is in force until 4 March 2026 and includes prerequisites, official constraints and secondary stipulations.
The validity of the residence permits of the persons benefitting from the regulation are automatically extended to 04 March 2026 fort, whereby individual extensions are not required.
