Steps that refugees from Ukraine should take in Germany:

Ukrainian citizens in possession of a biometric passport are allowed to enter the EU and thus Germany without a visa and stay for 90 days within a period of 180 days. On 24 February 2022, the Federal Ministry of the Interior announced that Ukrainian nationals may obtain a residence permit for a further 90-day stay upon entering Germany. This means that as things stand, Ukrainians may potentially stay in Germany for a total of 180 days.

Furthermore, the EU has decided to grant residence for temporary protection pursuant to Section 24 AufenthG (German Residence Act) to certain individuals. This concerns the following groups of people who have been displaced from Ukraine since 24 February 2022 as a result of Russia's military invasion:

• Ukrainian nationals who resided in Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022
• Stateless persons and nationals of third countries other than Ukraine who enjoyed international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022
• Family members of the two groups above, even if they are not Ukrainian citizens

These persons will be granted residence permits pursuant to Section 24 AufenthG. An application for asylum is not required. Other affected persons may apply for asylum if necessary.

The European Union has decided to open up the acceptance process for war refugees from Ukraine in accordance with the EU Temporary Protection Directive. This allows for an unbureaucratic procedure for accepting war refugees from Ukraine into Germany.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) is working on regulations that will make it possible to extend the permitted stay to a limited extent without placing an extraordinary burden on the foreigners' registration offices. In order to avoid an inadvertent unauthorized stay, those affected may first submit an informal written application for a residence permit to the foreigners' registration office responsible for their place of residence, stating their personal information (preferably a copy of the passport details page), the reason for their stay (war in Ukraine and any other reasons if applicable) and the date of their first entry into the EU.