Visa and Residence Title

Basic information about your stay in Germany

The rule that a visa issued by the embassy or consulate is required before entering Germany for a long-term stay does not exceptionally apply to war refugees from Ukraine. This exception applies to first-time entries until 4th December 2025 for a period of 90 days. https://www.germany4ukraine.de/hilfeportal-en

Contacting the Foreigners’ Registration Office / Receiving benefits

You can register in all German cities. In order to do so, it is best to go to the Ausländerbehörde (Foreigners’ Registration Office), but you can also go to the police or the Federal Police (Bundespolizei). First aiders standing at railway stations and airports can also guide you.

As of 1st June, refugees from Ukraine in Germany covered by the scope of application of section 24 of Germany’s Residence Act (AufenthG) are able to receive basic social security benefits according to the German Social Code, Book II (SGB II). To receive these benefits, you need to register as mentioned above. Once you are registered, you will receive an “arrival certificate”. With this, you can go to the social welfare office in your city, where you will receive the benefits, you are entitled to. These are benefits in cash and in kind. After registration, you can also, for example, work in Germany or go to the doctor.

Important! After regular enrolment in a degree-oriented programme, you can no longer receive social benefits, but you can receive the Federal Training Assistance (BAföG). Guest student or exchange students, on the other hand, receive social benefits and may not apply for BAföG.

Longer-term residence title

In order to stay in Germany for a longer period of time, it is necessary to obtain a residence title. A “residence title” (Aufenthaltstitel) determines the residence of foreigners in Germany. The application for a longer residence title is made at the responsible Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) at your place of residence.

Please note that refugees from Ukraine have various options when applying for a residence title. These differ in, among other things, which country of origin you come from, in which activities you can pursue with these residence titles and which social benefits you can claim, if any.

You can get an initial overview on the website germany4ukraine.de. For more comprehensive information, we recommend the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI).

For persons with Ukrainian citizenship and their family members, the Regulation on the extension of the validity of residence permits will be extended again: residence permits for temporary protection that were still valid on 1 February 2025 will be automatically extended until 4 March 2026. This group of people does not need to apply for an extension of their residence permit and no appointments with the immigration authorities are required.

https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/ukraineaufenthfgv/BJNR14E0A0023.html