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FAQ Germany*

Travel

1. Can I travel within the Schengen Zone?

Ukrainian citizens can travel visa-free for 90 days during a 180-day period in the Schengen Zone if they

  • hold a biometric passport which must be valid for at least three months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen area,

or

  • do not hold a biometric passport but already have a residency title and a valid travel document. (Please see our chapter "residence" for the conditions under which you can apply for a residency title).

After 90 days of absence from the Schengen Zone, a new stay of up to 90 days is possible.

Calculation of the time period: The stay in the Schengen Zone may not exceed a total of 90 days, whereby the entry and exit must take place within a 180-day period. The entry date is considered to be the first day of stay in the Schengen Zone, the date of exit is considered to be the last day of stay in the Schengen Zone. It is possible to enter and exit the Schengen Zone multiple times.

The "short stay visa calculator“ can be used for the calculation: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/border-crossing/short-stay-visa-calculator_en.

Example: The stay is legal if the entry into the Schengen Zone took place, for example, on 01/02/22 and the exit on 31/05/22, in other words the stay was for less than 180 days and the temporary departure from the Schengen Zone took place between 01/03/22 and 01/05/22, which means that the total stay in the Schengen area did not exceed the 90-day period.

2. Can I travel outside of the Schengen Zone?

When travelling outside of the Schengen Zone, the legal provisions of the respective destination country must be observed. For most countries, a visa must be applied for and a valid passport must be shown. Under Visa-free travel for citizens of Ukraine (embassy-finder.com) a list of the countries to which citizens of Ukraine may travel visa-free can be found.

Please note: The stay outside of the Schengen Zone is not included in the calculation. The 90-day limit is calculated separately for each country which you enter.

Example: After exhausting the 90 days in the Schengen Zone, you can stay in Bulgaria for a further 90 days.

3. What is the Schengen Zone?

The Schengen Zone is comprised of 26 European countries where, as a rule, border controls on persons no longer take place. The Schengen Zone does not include all of the EU countries. In turn, there are also non-EU countries that belong to the Schengen Zone.

The following 26 countries belong to the Schengen Zone: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The following countries are members of the EU, but are not part of the Schengen Zone: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania.

In particular, the following countries are neither members of the EU, nor are they part of the Schengen Zone: Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

4. Can I travel with a fiction certificate (Fiktionsbescheinigung)?

With a biometric passport, Ukrainian citizens can travel visa-free in the Schengen Zone or to Ukraine within the 90-day period.

 

Without a biometric passport, it depends on whether the fiction certificate was issued in accordance with § 81 Paragraph 4 or Paragraph 3.

 

  • If the fiction certificate is issued in accordance with § 81 Paragraph 4 of the Residency Act (AufenthG), travel abroad and re-entry into Germany are permitted.
    • A fiction certificate in accordance with § 81 Paragraph 4 of the Residency Act (AufenthG) is issued if there is still a valid residency title (residency permit or national visa for longer-term stays).
    • It should be ensured that the third checkbox on the third page of the document is filled in.
    • In addition, a valid passport or passport substitute (visa where applicable) must be carried

 

  • If the fiction certificate is issued in accordance with § 81 Paragraph 3 of the Residency Act (AufenthG), re-entry into Germany with this document is not permitted. Only travel within Germany is permitted.

 

  • A fiction certificate in accordance with § 81 Paragraph 3 of the Residency Act (AufenthG) is then issued if there is no valid residency title.

 

  • The fiction certificate often explicitly states: “not valid for travel abroad”.

5. Can I lose the residency permit?

As a rule, you cannot lose your residency permit for short trips.

A residency title in accordance with § 24 of the Residency Act (AufenthG) remains valid and allows re-entry, as long as

  • the purpose of the departure is not a permanent return to Ukraine, in other words the departure is only for a temporary reason and
  • the stay outside Germany does not last for more than six months. The period of six months can be extended at the Foreigners’ Authority before departure if it can be proved that the longer stay is of a temporary nature.

6. Which authorities do I need to inform before I travel?

The Job Centre must be informed if unemployment benefit (Bürgergeld) is being paid. The application for absence must be approved, by the Job Centre, otherwise unemployment benefit (Bürgergeld) may be reduced.

7. Do I still get unemployment benefit (Bürgergeld) if I travel?

  • Provided that the trip does not last for longer than three weeks, unemployment benefit (Bürgergeld) will still be paid. In total, you are entitled to three weeks or 21 days of leave (including weekends and national holidays) in one year.

If a permanent return to Ukraine takes place, no unemployment benefit (Bürgergeld) will be paid.

8. Can I apply for financial support for if I return to Ukraine (or my home country) voluntarily?

Ukrainian citizens are not eligible for state support for their return.

Third country nationals who fled Ukraine after 24.02.2022 and who wish to return to their country of origin can apply for financial support. This is possible in cases where persons cannot afford to leave Germany themselves. In particular, the costs for the flight ticket and for a new start can be paid. Further information about the REAG/GARP programme can be found via the following link: https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/Rueckkehr/FoerderprogrammREAGGARP/reaggarp-node.html;jsessionid=3A92234394107D323525AB60BBCEC401.intranet662.

 

9. What do I need to bear in mind when travelling with a minor?

  • In principle, an inclusion of the child in the passport of the accompanying parent is required until the child reaches the age of 16.
  • If children are not travelling with their parents or if they have already reached the age of 16, they are required to hold their own travel document.
  • For the visa application of minors (under the age of 18), a formal declaration of consent of the parents or guardians is required. During this process, it must be declared that the parents or guardians agree to the child leaving the country and for which period and what purpose of travel the declaration applies to.
  • Minors who enter Germany without their parents must also name a person who maintains permanent residency in Germany and who is responsible for their care in the Federal territory in accordance with § 80 Paragraph 4 of the Residency Act (AufenthG). This is necessary in particular when applying for a residency permit, signing a tenancy agreement or opening a bank account.
  •  
  • If the parents or guardians are not resident in Ukraine, the declaration of consent forms must be submitted in front of:


- a Ukrainian diplomatic mission abroad or


- a German authority or


- a German diplomatic mission abroad or


- a foreign notary with apostille and/or legalisation

 

  • If one of the parents or guardians is deceased, their death certificate is required.
  • If custody has been transferred to one parent or guardian alone, a decision of the competent court is required.
  • If one of the parents or guardians is a single parent, the certificate verifying this is required.

 

* 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.

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