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Unlike Ukraine, the Federal Republic of Germany is not centrally organized, but a so-called federal state with 16 states. Both the federal government and the states can enact laws. This means that in each state, in addition to the federal laws that apply throughout the Federal Republic of Germany, there is also a whole series of state laws that apply only in the respective state.
To a large extent, the public administration (and accordingly many public authorities) fall within the responsibility of the states. Therefore, in each federal state, different deadlines may apply, different forms and applications may be necessary, different public authorities may be responsible, or similar public authorities may have different names.
Thus, you always need to check that the information, forms and applications you use are valid in the state in which you are currently staying.
The competent authorities in the various states compiled specific information for refugees from Ukraine that may already answer a lot of questions:
Bayern: https://www.stmi.bayern.de/mui/ukraine_hilfe/index.php,
Baden-Württemberg: https://www.justiz-bw.de/,Lde/Startseite/Auslaender+and+refugee+policy/information+on+Ukraine,
Berlin: https://www.berlin.de/ukraine/,
Brandenburg: https://mik.brandenburg.de/mik/de/themen/auslaenderangelegenheiten/ukraine-informationen-fuer-gefluechtete/,
Bremen: https://www.soziales.bremen.de/das-ressort/ukraine-108893,
Hamburg: https://www.hamburg.de/ukraine/,
Hessen: https://innen.hessen.de/hessen-hilft-ukraine,
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: https://willkommeninmv.de/ukraine/?racr=a,
Niedersachsen: https://www.niedersachsen.de/ukraine/krieg-in-der-ukraine-fragen-und-antworten-209095.html,
Nordrhein-Westfalen: https://www.mkffi.nrw/ukraine,
Rheinland-Pfalz: https://mffki.rlp.de/de/themen/integration/humanitaere-zuwanderung-und-gefluechtete/,
Saarland: https://www.saarland.de/DE/portale/ukraine/home/home_node.html,
Sachsen: https://www.ukrainehilfe.sachsen.de/,
Sachsen-Anhalt: https://mi.sachsen-anhalt.de/ukraine/informationen-fuer-kriegsfluechtlinge-aus-der-ukraine-in-sachsen-anhalt/,
Schleswig-Holstein: https://www.schleswig-holstein.de/DE/landesregierung/themen/inneres-sicherheit-verwaltung/ukraine/ukraine_node.html,
Thüringen: https://bimf.thueringen.de/beauftragte/aktuelles/ukraine.
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/aussenpolitik/laender/ukraine-node/vertretungenukraine/201950
Refugees from Ukraine* who entered Germany for the first time between 24 February 2022 and 3 June 2022 are exempt from the requirement of a residence permit until 31 August 2022.
For all refugees from Ukraine* who entered or will enter Germany for the first time between 3 June 2022 and until 31 Mai 2023, a day-by-day calculation applies, so that the exemption from the requirement to hold a residence permit is valid for 90 days from the first entry.
Ukrainian citizens can stay freely in the Schengen area or move within the EU with a biometric passport for 90 days (in total for all Schengen states).
In this case, the initial registration in Germany is not required. However, if refugees from Ukraine ask for state support in Germany in the form of accommodation, care or social benefits, a registration becomes necessary.
Please note that the authority responsible for this may be called differently in each federal state.
* Provided they were residing in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, as well as Ukrainian citizens who were domiciled in Ukraine or had their habitual residence in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, but were temporarily no in Ukraine at that time.
“Anmeldung” / “Erstregistrierung” (initial registration) as of 01.06.2022 means four different registrations:
A.) Registration with social authorities (“Sozialbehörden”).
This registration serves to give you access to social benefits, such as financial support, accommodation or medical treatment. You are required to submit an appropriate application. You can get the application form from the competent authority (often also online). On the website of the respective authority you will typically also find a short list of documents you need to provide or bring with you. If you are accommodated in a municipal accommodation (initial reception centers for refugees, hotels rented by the city, etc.), please contact the management of the accommodation.
B.) Registration of a habitation / residence with the residential registration authorities (“Wohnmeldebehörden”)
This is an ordinary registration of your residential address. Please find out where you can find a residential registration office (“Wohnmeldebehörde”) in your municipality. The management of your initial reception center can help you.
C.) Registration at the competent foreigners authority (“Ausländerbehörde”) responsible for your place of residence.
At this authority you can apply for a residence permit (“Aufenthaltserlaubnis”).
You can find the responsible foreigners authority for your place of residence here:
https://bamf-navi.bamf.de/en/Themen/Behoerden/
D.) Registration with the Jobcenter (as of 01.06.2022).
As soon as you have received a residence permit (“Aufenthaltserlaubnis”) or a certificate of fiction (“Fiktionsbescheinigung”) (i.e., after registration with the foreigners authority) and you are fit for work (“erwerbsfähig”) (this means that you have not yet reached the standard retirement age, which is currently between 65 and 67 years and that you are not incapacitated for work, otherwise please see below), the Jobcenter is responsible for your financial support as well as for supporting you to take up a job.
At the Jobcenter, in addition to basic financial assistance, you will receive support in finding a job. This may include:
After your registration with the Jobcenter, you can receive the so-called unemployment benefit (“Bürgergeld”) (formerly called “Arbeitslosengeld II” or “Hartz IV”). The Jobcenter checks whether the requirements are met.
Persons who have reached the standard retirement age or persons who are incapacitated for work: If you have reached the standard retirement age (currently between 65 and 67, depending on your day of birth) or if you are permanently incapacitated for work, you can receive financial assistance through the basic social security scheme (“Grundsicherung”). You are required to submit an application to the competent social authority (Section “Grundsicherung”). The social authority will then check whether the requirements are met.
If you have come to Germany and do not yet have a place to stay, please go to the closest state-run first reception center (“staatliche Erstaufnahmestelle”) (refugee camp (“Flüchtlingslager”) / refugee accommodation (“Flüchtlingsunterkunft”)). You will get a place to sleep and you will be provided with food and drinks there. Currently, at most train stations in Germany there have been set up help centers where you can show up and then you will be brought to the first reception center.
A.) What is an initial reception center (“Erstaufnahmestelle”) refugee camp (“Flüchtlingslager”) / refugee accomodation (“Flüchtlingsunterkunft”)?
The minimum requirements for initial reception centers vary in all states and municipalities. In general, they are large halls, rebuilt schools, sports halls or similarly large rooms divided into sleeping areas, sanitary areas and common areas.
B.) The initial reception centers are only intended for temporary accommodation. However, the housing market in Germany is very tight and finding an apartment is difficult. Therefore, please do not wait until you “get” an apartment, but take the initiative yourself. [For more information, see our chapter housing].
C.) You can also find private accommodation yourself, for example via:
Vaccination against Covid-19 is not mandatory in Germany except for people working in healthcare and care facilities. For all others, vaccination is voluntary. However, it is strongly recommended to get vaccinated. This way you can protect yourself and others.
You can get vaccinated at any time and free of charge. Just go to a vaccination center (“Impfzentrum”) in your area or ask a doctor.
If you have been vaccinated with a non-EU-approved vaccine, you can get vaccinated with an EU-approved vaccine 4 weeks after your last vaccination.
In Germany, children from the age of 5 years may be vaccinated against Covid-19.
A.) Immediately after entry:
In order to receive free medical treatment, you need a treatment certificate (“Behandlungsschein”) (also called “sickness certificate” (“Krankenschein”)). You can obtain this from the social authorities which are responsible for you.
You must bring the treatment certificate / sickness certificate to every doctor appointment.
Generally, treatment certificates / sickness certificates are only valid for a certain period of time, e.g., three months, and then have to be reissued. Some are also only valid for one treatment (“single sickness certificate” (“Einzelkrankenschein”)).
In a medical emergency, you can receive medical treatment even before applying for a treatment certificate / sickness certificate. However, you have to apply for the treatment certificate without any delay.
You are free to choose the doctor / doctor’s office (also dentists and other medical specialists). Please make sure that the selected doctor is allowed to treat patients who are insured under a statutory insurance plan (“gesetztlich krankenversicherte”) (or “all health insurances” (“alle Kassen”)). If you are not sure, just call the doctor and ask for office hours or if an appointment is necessary.
B.) Statutory health insurance (as of 01.06.2022):
If you receive Citizen’s Income (“Bürgergeld”) [link to the topic registration/Jobcenter], you are usually insured with a statutory health insurance. The Jobcenter directly pays the monthly fees to your health insurance.
In general, you have the right to choose a health insurance, that means you can choose between the various statutory health insurances. Please contact the selected health insurance company personally.
You can find a list of the statutory health insurance companies with information about their services at:
https://www.gkv-spitzenverband.de/service/krankenkassenliste/krankenkassen.jsp
Accordingly, the following steps have to be followed:
Please note that health insurance only starts on the day – also retroactively – from which you receive Citizen’s Income (Bürgergeld).
If you have reached the retirement age (currently between 65 and 67 years, depending on your date of birth), or are incapacitated for work and receive assistance through the basic social security scheme (“Grundsicherung”), you are usually treated the same way as someone who is insured under a statutory insurance plan. You usually receive a health insurance card from a health insurance of your choice. You can find out more about this at the competent social authority.
The social authority directly pays for the services provided to your health insurance.
You can only be registered at the health insurance after having sent your social security number (“Sozialversicherungsnummer”) (provided by the health insurance ) to the Jobcenter.
Talk to your selected health insurance in advance in this regard.
You will receive a “health card” (“Gesundheitskarte”) from your health insurance company. This is your proof of insurance. You must bring this card to every doctor’s appointment. Otherwise, treatment is not possible.
Please make sure that the selected doctor is allowed to treat patients who are insured under a statutory insurance plan (“gesetztlich Krankenversicherte”) (or “all health insurances” (“alle Kassen”)). If you are not sure, please ask.
You are not required to have a bank account to live in Germany. However, it does simplify your life in Germany, especially if you want to receive financial assistance, work, or rent an apartment.
You can open a bank account either online or in any bank branch. If your German or English skills are not so good, we recommend going to a bank branch so that you can clarify all questions there.
Please be careful with untrustworthy offers on the Internet!
After you have filled out all documents for opening an account, you will usually receive your account details right away. A bank card and your PIN code will be sent to you by mail. This can take up to one month.
If you have children and as soon as you have received a residence permit or certificate of fiction, you can apply for child benefit (“Kindergeld”). It is required that you reside in Germany and that your child / children also reside in Germany, the European Union (EU), a country of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland (with appropriate proof).
Currently, the child benefit for each child is 250 euro. Child benefit is paid for each child separately. The child benefit will be transferred monthly to the bank account that you have indicated in your application.
You can apply for child benefits at the Jobcenter or online. More information and the application for child benefit (also in Ukrainian) can be found here: https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/familie-und-kinder.
Daycare (“Kindertagesstätte”/ “Kita”):
In general, children are entitled to day care (1-3 years) or kindergarten (3-6 years). The details differ depending on the federal state.
[For more information, see our chapter "Education"]
School:
In general, school attendance is mandatory in Germany, that means that all children and adolescents must attend school. Usually, this also applies to refugee children and adolescents if they are not only temporarily staying in Germany.
For many professions in Germany, you do not need a university degree, but a vocational training (Berufsausbildung). Many jobs can be taken up even without evidence of formal qualifications.
There are no uniform rules on how to obtain a vocational training place or a place at university. Each university, college, or vocational school has its own application deadlines, minimum requirements, selection procedures and selection criteria. Please inform yourself directly at the university, college, or vocational school you are interested in.
Whether you need a recognition of your professional qualification depends on your profession. Recognition is required in any case for regulated professions. Most professions are not regulated, that means you can work in these professions without a prior recognition procedure. However, also in non-regulated professions, a recognition is very helpful to find a job that corresponds to your qualifications.
[For more information, see our chapter "Education"]
Additional information regarding the recognition of a university degree can be found here:
Ukrainian driving licenses remain valid and are recognized throughout the territory of the EU. Refugees from Ukraine who have temporary protection status can continue to use their Ukrainian driver's license and do not have to have it rewritten.
In any case, this regulation is valid for the duration of the protection status, i.e. at least until 23.02.2023.
In the event of loss or theft of the driver's license, the German driver's license authority (Führerscheinbehörde) can issue a new driver's license, provided that it checks with the Ukrainian authorities whether the person in question held a valid driver's license in his or her country and that this person presents a certificate of physical and mental fitness.
Refugees from Ukraine who have worked as truck or bus drivers can have their Ukrainian professional driver qualification temporarily recognized within the EU after completing a short training course and passing an exam. In this way, they can work in the EU for the duration of their protection status.
Please note: Driving without a license is prohibited and is a crime in Germany.
You may only drive a vehicle registered in Ukraine also in Germany, if the vehicle (at least) has a motor vehicle liability insurance.
Since 01.06.2022, drivers entering from Ukraine must prove that their Ukrainian vehicle has a motor vehicle liability insurance. This proof can be provided either through the so-called green card (“Grüne Karte”) (“international insurance card for motor traffic”) or a border insurance.
You can apply (in Ukrainian) for a Green Card online here:
http://www.mtsbu.ua/ua/presscenter/news/168164/
Border insurance can generally be taken out with German car insurers. A list of providers can be found here:
You must register your Ukrainian car in Germany no later than one year after entering the country. In order to do this, you must submit an application to the competent vehicle registration authority (“Kfz-Zulassungsbehörde”). These authorities can be found at www.zulassungsstelle.de. You will also find information about the documents needed for the registration there.
Please note: Driving without registration is prohibited and subject to fines (as a so-called “administrative offence” “Ordnungswidrikeit”)
Due to the current situation, the entry conditions for pets have been eased. This means for the entry to Germany that pet owners can enter with their pets from Ukraine until further notice without having to apply for a permit in advance.
Nevertheless, please contact the local veterinary authority to determine the health status of your animal and to initiate measures if necessary (e.g. isolation, rabies vaccination, etc.).
Emergency service: 112
Fire department: 112
Police: 110
Emergency medical service: 116117
* No guarantee can be given for the correctness and completeness of the information published in the FAQ. The published FAQs contain general information that cannot reflect every individual case.
