This year, France continues to accept Ukrainian refugees, providing them with temporary protection until March next year. Find out more about the benefits Ukrainian citizens can expect, how to apply for asylum, and more

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In 2024, France, like many other EU countries, continues to accept Ukrainians and grant them the status of temporary protection. Also, the currently permitted period of stay for refugees from Ukraine has been extended until March 2025. The state guarantees certain benefits for citizens.

How to apply for temporary protection in France in 2024 and what social support can be obtained? Details in our new material.

Rules of entry to France for Ukrainians in 2024

Entry to France is carried out on general grounds - with a valid biometric international passport or with a valid non-biometric international passport and with a short-term Schengen visa, a long-term visa for entering France or with a residence permit in France or another EU country. They also accept a document confirming the status of a temporarily displaced person.

If you are entering with a child, if the child does not have a foreign passport, entry is possible on the condition that information about the child is entered in the foreign passport of one of the child's parents.

How to apply for temporary protection status in France?

To obtain the document l’Autorisation provisoire de séjour (APS) (temporary residence permit), contact the prefecture of the department of your place of residence or the “Accueil Ukraine” points:

● In Paris:

Reception point at the address: Paris Event Center, 20, Avenue de la Porte de la Villette – 75019, Paris

The point is open every day from 09:00 to 18:00. Interpreters are on site.

Available services

- First reception of temporarily displaced persons and provision of first aid: food, hygiene kits, etc.

- Center for advance registration for social workers.

- First medical consultations (doctor present).

- Psychological help.

- Temporary settlement: Samu Social representatives are on site for emergency settlement.

● In the regions:

Contact the nearest prefecture.

It is necessary to have with you a passport of a citizen of Ukraine and other documents that substantiate your position. If your case is complete and acceptable, you will receive protection and a temporary residence permit. You will then be referred to the French Office of Immigration and Integration (OFII).

Social support for Ukrainians with temporary protection in France

Temporary protection in France entitles Ukrainians to:

- issuance of a temporary residence permit on the territory of France marked "recipient of temporary protection";

- payment of assistance to the asylum seeker;

- permission for professional activity;

- access to medical care;

- opportunity for children's education;

- support in obtaining housing.

In contrast to the status of ordinary demandeur d'asile (“asylum seekers”) with an APS document, Ukrainians have broader rights, in particular: the right to keep their own passport and other documents with them, the right to work and the opportunity to travel to their native country. Therefore, it is not recommended to apply for refugee status in France.

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Housing for Ukrainians in France in 2024

Upon arrival in France, you will be accommodated in a temporary reception center for the first few nights. Then, based on various factors - the number of people, the availability of places and other conclusions of the social workers, you will be given temporary accommodation for a few weeks/months before you are found a permanent place to live.

Note that you may be placed in a different city, department or region of France than your city of arrival.

Importantly! Currently, housing in France is scarce and most often settled in villages and small towns.

Also, Ukrainians have the right to rent housing independently. This can be done in any city, and the state can provide the necessary guarantee requirements for renting housing, thanks to the VISALE system. It can be used by:

- Any employed person over the age of 30, provided that their income does not exceed 1,500 euros per month and when applying within 6 months from the date of employment.

- Any person under the age of 30 who wants to rent a house, regardless of their situation.

Financial and social support for Ukrainians in France

After receiving temporary protection, you are entitled to financial assistance (ADA), the amount of which depends on the number of people in your family. In general, the amount of financial support per day is: 1 person - 6.80€, 2 people - 10.20€, 3 people - 13.60€, 4 people - 17.00€, 5 people - 20.40€.

If the state cannot provide you with free housing, you will receive an additional €7.40 per day.

To process payments, contact the Office français de l'immigration et l'intégration (French Office of Immigration and Integration).

The procedure for obtaining financial assistance in France:

Step 1 – Declare no income.

Step 2 – You will be issued an ADA card on the spot. It is activated via an SMS message to a French number. Usually after 1-2 weeks (up to 45 days), you will receive an SMS to activate it.

You will also immediately receive a brochure in Ukrainian with basic information about these social benefits and an email address for all further questions and communications.

The term of payments is tied to the date of your temporary protection document. That is, after the expiration of the document, social benefits will also stop, if you do not send (to the same email address) a copy/photo of the document on the extension of the status.

In addition, Ukrainians can get food and basic necessities in France. To do this, contact one of the public organizations: "Resto du Cœur", "Secours populaire français", "Banques alimentaires", "Croix Rouge" and others. You can find out the addresses of these establishments in your city hall.

Addresses of funds where you can get free food, personal hygiene products, free Internet access, etc. are collected on the platform via the link.

Medical Insurance

Temporary protection provides access to free medical care in all public health facilities in France. The universal health protection system (PUMa) and supplementary solidarity health insurance (CSS) cover the following costs:

- consultations of doctors (therapist, dentist, obstetrician and others);

- purchase of prescription drugs;

- analyzes and examinations;

- expenses for glasses, dentures, hearing aids and medical devices.

To apply for a health insurance policy, contact the State Health Insurance Fund (Assurance maladie) at your place of residence or the Ukrainian Help Center if you are in Paris, Nice or Strasbourg.

The processing period after submission of documents is about 10 working days.

Children receive medical care based on the policy of their parents or guardians.

Appointment of doctors is by appointment. To do this, it is enough to install the "Doctolib" application and select the therapist you are interested in, as well as the date and time of the appointment. It is this doctor who will refer you to the rest of the specialists (except the dentist).

Help in France for Ukrainians with special needs

If you have a disability or have lost independence due to age, you can inform the prefect about specific needs for adaptation of the provided accommodation or for accompaniment.

Job search in France for Ukrainians

Ukrainians who received the status of temporary protection in France have the right to employment.

The local employment service - Pole Emploi - can help you find a job. Here you can find vacancies that do not require special experience or qualifications, and the center also advises on any employment issues.

Vacancies for beginners: sales consultants for stores or handymen for enterprises are available on the Meteojob portal.

Jobs for highly qualified personnel can be found on Indeed, Monster or Welcome To The Jungle sites.

FLE French language courses for Ukrainians

Special training for displaced persons from Ukraine is financed by Pôle Emploi and provided by the Greta network - these are "FLE" French language courses aimed at professional integration.

Courses last 3 months. At the end, it is necessary to pass an exam.

For the fact that you study, you can receive additional payment, it is calculated daily, so you can skip studies only in special cases (certificate from a doctor, etc.). In the absence of confirmation, payments for this day are not accrued. Training takes place 5 days a week, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (but different in all schools).

In total, the additional benefit will be approximately €635 or €715 per month, or €450 per month if you are under 26.

To participate, fill out the form at the link.

How to extend temporary protection in France?

To extend the status of temporary protection in France, it is necessary to apply to the Prefecture of the department at the place of residence.

Importantly! Not necessarily, it will be the one that issued the first document for a temporary stay in France.

You can find out the prefecture's work schedule and admission features (with or without prior appointment) on the organization's official website.

The procedure for submitting a request to renew your residence document must be completed within three weeks to three days before the expiration date. There is no need to apply before this deadline: the prefecture will not consider the request. Any late renewal request may result in the interruption of access to your social rights.

List of documents for extending the permit:

- documents confirming your marital status and citizenship;

- the residence certificate was issued less than three months ago;

- any document confirming changes in your situation (for example, an employment contract);

- your previous temporary residence permit that is expiring.

For more detailed information on the procedure for obtaining temporary protection in France, look for the link.

When planning a trip abroad, it is important to have a reliable health insurance policy, because it can guarantee you high-quality medical care outside of Ukraine. Read why Ukrainians in Europe need to take out health insurance here. Take out a reliable policy from a verified insurance agent on the Visit Ukraine portal.

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