Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, millions of Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge abroad. Find out more about the changes in refugee benefits in Germany, the amount of financial assistance in 2023 and other useful information for immigrants

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Germany is the European country that currently hosts the largest number of refugees from Ukraine. The state is meeting the needs of the displaced by providing them with housing, financial support, assistance with paperwork, etc. Ukrainians planning to move to Germany will find the following information useful.

Where migrants from Ukraine can live in Germany

Currently, only 6 German states are ready to accept refugees from Ukraine. You can find a list of them and the addresses of the headquarters where you will be provided with all the necessary information support in this list:

1. Bayern: Ergolding - Schindlerstraße 19, 84030 Ergolding

2. Baden Württemberg: Messe Sindelfingen - Mahdentalstraße 116, 71065 Sindelfingen

3. Hessen: Gießen - Rödgener Straße 91, 35394 Gießen

4. Sachsen: Meerane - Seiferetziger Schulweg 10, 08393 Meerane

5. Thüringen: Suhl - Weidbergstraße 24-26, 98527 Suhl

6. Saarland: Lebach - Pommernstraße 1, 66822 Lebach

Legal conditions for refugees from Ukraine in Germany

Refugees from Ukraine do not temporarily need a residence permit in Germany. This exception applies to persons who first entered Germany before 04.04.2024. Thus, until June 2, 2024, all Ukrainians can stay in Germany without any obstacles and without the need to obtain a permit.

In 2017, Ukraine and Germany signed a visa-free regime agreement. Therefore, all Ukrainians holding a biometric passport can freely enter the EU for short-term stays of up to 90 days. Citizens of Ukraine who do not have a biometric passport need a visa and a residence permit, which is pasted into their passports.

The German authorities have made an exception and issued a legal decree according to which Ukrainian citizens can enter and stay in Germany without a biometric passport and residence permit.

Temporary protection for refugees in Germany

In order to obtain temporary protection status (Aufenthaltstitel) in Germany, the following steps are required:

Submit an application to the Ausländerbehörde (BAMF). This can be done online or during a personal visit on the appointed day and time. Here you can get an information letter in Ukrainian, which will indicate the rights and obligations of a person with temporary protection.

Apply for a simplified procedure for obtaining a temporary protection, residence and employment permit. While waiting for the permit, the Migration Service will provide you with a "Fiktionsbescheinigung" certificate confirming the legality of your stay in Germany. For this purpose, you need to enter your personal data into the Central Register of Foreigners in Germany.

Advantages of obtaining temporary protection status in Germany

Persons who have received the Aufenthaltstitel certificate are entitled to:

1. Official employment;

2. Social benefits and medical care;

3. General secondary education for children;

4. Marriage;

5. Receiving a monthly financial allowance;

6. Family reunification.

The Fiktionsbescheinigung certificate is an internal document that is valid only in Germany. It gives refugees the right to move freely within Germany. Traveling to other countries is possible only if the person has a visa-free regime in accordance with the legal norms of border crossing.

Obtaining the Aufenthaltstitel certificate requires compliance with certain rules and regulations of its holders. In case of leaving Germany or not staying in the country for more than 6 months, this status will lose its validity.

The amount of financial assistance for Ukrainian citizens in Germany in 2023

Financial assistance to refugees in Germany is provided by the Employment Center. The standard amount of monthly unemployment benefit is €449. For Ukrainian citizens living with their families, this amount is €404. 

Since January 1, 2023, Germany has changed the amount of payments for refugees in certain categories:

1. single adults - €502 per month;

2. single parents - €502 per month;

3. adult citizens of Ukraine - €451 per month;

4. children aged 14-17 - €420 per month;

5. children aged 6-13 - €348 per month;

6. children under 5 years old - €318 per month.

Thus, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Germany has accepted more than a million refugees from Ukraine. All of them received Hartz IV unemployment status. From January 1, 2023, the rates of cash benefits were adjusted for inflation.

Daria Rogova, Head of Insurance at Visit World

To move, travel or work safely in a new country, you will need medical insurance. You can apply for an extended policy on our website here.

Products from Visit World for a comfortable trip:

Checklist for obtaining a visa and necessary documents in Germany;

Legal advice on immigration in Germany;

Travel insurance for foreigners in Germany;

Medical insurance all over the world.

More articles on the topic:

Dismissal from work in Germany: peculiarities of the procedure and possible reasons.

Working in Germany for foreigners without knowledge of the language: features and possible options.

Immigration of skilled workers to Germany: new rules came into force in November 2023.