Norway expands list of Ukrainians who will not be granted temporary protection: details

Norway continues to expand the list of Ukrainian regions whose residents cannot apply for temporary protection in the country. Find out which regions will be denied this status and what to do in this case
Norway continues to review its policy on Ukrainian refugees, adapting it to changes in Ukraine. In September 2024, the Norwegian government recognised several regions of Ukraine as safe to live in, and in early 2025, the list of such regions was expanded.
Which regions of Ukraine have been recognised as safe?
According to the decision of the Norwegian Migration and Immigration Agency (UDI), temporary protection assistance will no longer be available to residents of the following regions
- Cherkasy
- Chernivtsi
- Ivano-Frankivsk
- Khmelnytskyi
- Kirovohrad
- Kyiv (only the region, not the city)
- Lviv
- Poltava
- Rivne
- Ternopil
- Vinnytsia
- Volyn
- Transcarpathian
- Zhytomyr
The UDI website explains that these regions have been deemed safe because they are under the full control of the Ukrainian authorities and the influence of russia or pro-russian groups in these areas is minimal.
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Who can still count on temporary protection?
Despite the expansion of the list of safe areas, the new changes do not apply to the following categories of Ukrainians:
▪️ Persons who applied for protection before 28 September 2024.
▪️ Persons whose applications have been submitted since 28 September 2024 and are awaiting a decision as of 13 January 2025.
▪️ Persons who already have a temporary protection permit.
▪️ Participants of the Medical Evacuation Programme (Medevac).
Persons whose family members have already been granted collective protection in Norway.
Immediate family members include spouses, cohabitants, minor children and other relatives who lived with the applicant before 24 February 2022.
Why is Norway tightening its policy?
The Norwegian government justifies its actions by reducing the intensity of hostilities in the western and central regions of Ukraine, where, according to the authorities, residents can remain safe. This decision makes it possible to optimise migration resources and focus on providing assistance to the most vulnerable groups.
What should Ukrainians who plan to apply for protection do?
Residents of areas recognised as safe are encouraged to consider alternative options. For example, they can apply for individual protection if their personal safety is threatened, or use medical or humanitarian evacuation programmes.
The new decision has provoked a mixed reaction. On the one hand, human rights organisations and the diaspora have expressed concern about its implications, pointing to the ongoing military conflict. On the other hand, the Norwegian government emphasises the need to adapt its policy to the current situation.
Regardless, in case of any problems in migration matters, we recommend that you contact specialised lawyers. You can get such advice in a few clicks on the Visit Ukraine portal.
We remind you! Between six and ten million Ukrainians still live abroad, and the Ukrainian government wants them to return, given the country's deep demographic problem.
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