Can persons enter Germany from Ukraine without a visa?
Persons from Ukraine who are seeking protection can find information on the central platform www.germany4ukraine.de. It is also possible to initiate the procedure to receive a residence permit granting temporary protection in Germany via this platform.
As a result of the war in Ukraine, the following persons may receive temporary protection in Germany for an initial period of two years:
- Ukrainian nationals residing in Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022, and their immediate family members;
- Stateless persons and non-Ukrainian nationals with international or equivalent national protection in Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022, and their immediate family members;
- Stateless persons and non-Ukrainian nationals who can prove that they were legally resident in Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022 on the basis of a valid unrestricted residence permit issued under Ukrainian law and who are not in a position to return safely and permanently to their country or region of origin; and
- Non-Ukrainian nationals, if they can prove that they were legally resident in and not just temporarily visiting Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and who are not in a position to return safely and permanently to their country or region of origin.
Visa for entering Germany for persons from Ukraine seeking protection
Persons who were in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 can currently enter Germany and stay in Germany without a visa.
Ukrainian nationals holding a biometric passport can enter Germany without a visa. However, Ukrainian nationals who do not have a biometric passport can also enter Germany and stay there without a visa at present. This also applies if they were temporarily not in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 but had their place of residence there or were habitually resident there on 24 February 2022. The same applies to persons recognised as refugees in Ukraine under the Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and to those who enjoy international or equivalent national protection in Ukraine.
Nationals of third countries who were in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 can also currently enter Germany and stay in Germany without a visa.
This exception currently applies to refugees entering Germany for the first time before 4 March 2024 and staying for up to 90 days.
Third-country nationals who are resident in Ukraine on the basis of a Ukrainian residence permit and whose family members are Ukrainian nationals, but who were not in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, are advised to contact the visa office.
Can Ukrainian nationals apply for asylum in Germany?
Anyone can apply for asylum in Germany. The European Union, the Federal Government and the Länder are currently preparing to receive displaced persons from Ukraine. On the basis of Council Directive 2001/55/EC on minimum standards for giving temporary protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons, the same, unbureaucratic process for taking in war refugees should apply in all EU member states. The Directive provides that the persons concerned can stay for up to three years. Displaced persons from Ukraine therefore do not have to apply for asylum. According to a decision of the Council of the European Union, this applies to the following groups displaced as a result of the conflict:
- Ukrainian nationals with their families
- non-Ukrainian nationals and stateless persons with international or national protection status in Ukraine and their families
- non-Ukrainian nationals and stateless persons with permanent resident status in Ukraine who cannot return to their home countries
The right to apply for asylum remains regardless of this.
More information on how this will be implemented in Germany will follow later.
