Migration trends among Ukrainians, in particular with the aim of changing the country of temporary protection, are increasing, as the conditions of stay and financial assistance are changing. Find out which countries will grant repeated temporary protection in 2024 and what you need to move

Legal assistance for Ukrainians abroad

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Currently, it is quite common for Ukrainians who have been granted temporary protection in one of the EU countries to want to move to another country, as their living conditions and social assistance benefits change. It is, of course, possible to change the country of residence, but obtaining re-protection depends on the policy of each country separately.

Some countries have no problem re-granting Ukrainians the right to live in them and receive all the benefits provided by temporary protection. However, there is a certain list of countries where it is very difficult to obtain temporary protection. Ukrainians face problems in submitting documents or restrictions established by the current legislation.

Which countries will grant repeated temporary protection in 2024?

Germany.

If you decide to obtain temporary protection status in Germany, it is worth considering that not all federal states of Germany currently accept refugees from Ukraine.

For a list of states and addresses of camps that accept Ukrainians in October, please follow the link.

In order to apply for a temporary residence permit ‘Aufenthaltstitel’, you need to apply for a simplified procedure for obtaining a relevant temporary protection, residence and employment permit at the nearest Ausländerbehörde migration service office.

Which categories of citizens can be granted temporary protection in Germany?

- If the person resided in Ukraine before 24 February 2022;

- If, prior to 24 February 2022, the person resided in Ukraine with international protection status or equivalent national protection;

- if the person is a family member of the first two categories (this includes the other spouse, including civil marriage, minor children and close relatives);

- if the person is a citizen of Ukraine and is already residing in Germany and the official period of his/her stay is coming to an end (the date of entry into Germany is not relevant);

- if the person was in the territory of the European Union before the start of the full-scale invasion and cannot return home because of the armed conflict.

Algorithm of actions for obtaining temporary protection in Germany:

1. Prepare a package of documents (passport, birth certificates (for children), residence permit, address of temporary residence in Germany).

2. Apply to the BAMF and undergo biometric identification.

3. Obtain a residence permit upon completion of the procedure.

Slovakia

According to the EU Directive 2001/55/EC, you can enjoy temporary protection rights only in one country of the European Union that has granted this protection. When you are granted temporary asylum in Slovakia, your temporary asylum from the previous country will be considered invalid. However, if you have other documents (e.g. a visa), you can travel to other European countries and stay in their territory for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Algorithm of actions for obtaining temporary protection in Slovakia

1. Submit an application for temporary protection on the Temporary Asylum Registration website.

2. Collect the confirmation in person (a requirement for all age groups, including minors).

3. Visit the Migration Police in person and submit an application.

4. Undergo biometric identification (also at the Migration Police Department).

We have previously describedin detail the changes that have taken place in the Slovak Republic for Ukrainians in terms of obtaining temporary protection.

The Netherlands

It is also possible to obtain repeated temporary protection (RTB) in the Netherlands. RTB means that you can stay in the Netherlands for a certain period of time and are entitled to certain benefits, such as asylum, healthcare and the right to work. Minor children are also entitled to education. The RTB is valid until 4 March 2025.

Please note! The RTB is valid until 4 March 2025. However, if a person returns to Ukraine, he or she loses his or her registration in the Personal Records Database (BRP) in the Netherlands and cannot re-apply for temporary protection.

If the situation is controversial, the municipality will make an appointment with the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) for an interview. Based on your documents, the IND will decide whether you will be granted temporary protection in the Netherlands. It is important to bring all your documents to the IND meeting.

Algorithm of actions for obtaining temporary protection in the Netherlands

1. Register in any municipality in the Netherlands.

2. You will be entered into the personal database (BRP).

3. Make an appointment with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) within 4 weeks.

Please note! If the municipality is overcrowded, its representatives should contact the Regional Coordination Centre for the Distribution of Refugees (RCVS). The migrant does not have to perform these actions!

Spain.

It is possible to obtain repeated temporary protection in Spain, but you cannot choose a city to live in, it is assigned randomly. To obtain temporary protection, you must apply at the CREADE Centres in Madrid or Malaga, and, if necessary, at the police stations of the province where you are located.

Temporary protection in Spain is issued for 1 year, then automatically extended for another year and, in some cases, for another 1 year.

Algorithm of actions for obtaining temporary protection in Spain

1. Prepare documents confirming your right to temporary protection: a foreign passport (in case of its absence - an internal passport or identity document), as well as documents confirming family ties with your spouse, partner and/or children under the age of 18.

2. Indicate the address of your residence in Spain for sending notifications.

3. Provide a telephone number and email address for receiving notifications.

4. Pass biometric identification at the police department and receive a document with your own foreigner identification number.

To submit documents, you must have a biometric passport for travelling abroad and a child's birth certificate if the protection is applied for for a child. You also need a residence address in Spain. Spain provides temporary protection until March 2025.

Portugal

Portugal also continues to accept Ukrainian refugees, even if they have already been granted temporary protection in other countries. In this country, temporary protection is granted for one year, but there is a possibility to extend it twice, for a period of six months.

Please note! In order to obtain temporary protection in Portugal, you must have proof that you have refused protection in another country.

Thus, when a request is received, the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) reviews the relevant databases and subsequently transmits the applicant's data to the organisations responsible for the automatic assignment of a tax identification number, social security and healthcare.

After registration, a confirmation of acceptance and acknowledgement of the application for temporary protection is issued and a residence permit for a period of one year is issued.

What is the algorithm for obtaining temporary protection in Portugal?

1. Register online on the website of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) (there are special offices that work only for applications concerning children who are in Portugal without parents, for example, accompanied by other family members).

2. Provide information about yourself, your place of residence in Portugal and contact details.

3. AIMA transmits the data to the tax, social security and health services. Registration with these services is automatic and a certificate is sent to your email address.

Croatia

Croatia also grants asylum to Ukrainians after they refuse it in another country. In this case, a person can apply electronically on the website or in paper form at the nearest police station. After registration, you will be issued a certificate (identification card) of a foreigner granted temporary protection at the police station.

Which countries do not accept refugees from Ukraine?

Currently, all countries accept Ukrainians, but some of them have seriously changed their requirements for applicants, so it can be difficult and sometimes impossible to obtain status. These countries include Poland, Hungary, Norway and Ireland.

Poland. In 2024, the Polish authorities reduced one-time payments for newly arrived migrants from Ukraine (in 2023 - 300 zlotys). Also, Poland does not re-issue temporary residence status for Ukrainians (except for some cases that are considered on an individual basis).

Ireland. A key benefit for Ukrainians was the provision of accommodation in migrant accommodation centres (boarding houses and houses rented free of charge by locals). These changes are currently under consideration to encourage Ukrainians to rent housing in Ireland. In addition, Ireland has reduced benefits for Ukrainians six times. Now the weekly allowance is 38.80 euros instead of 232 euros.

Norway. In Norway, changes were made to both living conditions and social benefits. First of all, financial assistance was limited for Ukrainians who chose to live in private housing rather than in a refugee reception centre. Secondly, payments to support childless Ukrainian couples were reduced and the coverage of pet expenses was cancelled. This means that people in refugee reception centres are now not allowed to have pets. However, this does not apply to those who are waiting with their pets to be accommodated in private housing.

Protection may be denied to citizens who lived abroad before the war started or who came from ‘safe’ regions of Ukraine (these include Lviv, Volyn, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, and Rivne).

Hungary. The country also refused to provide free housing to all Ukrainian refugees. Now, only certain categories of refugees - residents of the territories affected by the war - will be able to have a roof over their heads: Dnipro, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Chernihiv, Luhansk and Zhytomyr regions, the city of Sevastopol and the city of Kyiv, and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Read moreabout these and other innovations for Ukrainians in Hungary on the Visit Ukraine portal.

If you need help with migration issues, including changing the country of residence, please contact the Visit Ukraine legal team. Our specialists will answer all your questions, help you with the preparation of the necessary documents and solve your immediate problems.

Follow the link to order a consultation or full legal support.

Just to remind you. The United States also continues to accept Ukrainians and provide them with protection under the Uniting for Ukraine programme. At the same time, Ukrainians already in the country can renew their previously issued humanitarian passwords. Read all about the current rules for entering and staying in the United States in 2024 in our previous article.