What Changed for Ukrainians in Germany in 2026
Temporary protection under Section 24 has been extended until 4 March 2027 automatically, without a separate application, for those whose residence permit was valid as of 1 February 2026. The main change in 2026 is not in the status itself, but in social benefits: those who applied for protection after 31 March 2025 now receive lower benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act instead of the regular Bürgergeld.
International Law Firm "Zahist" advises Ukrainians in Germany every week, and 2026 has brought the largest number of inquiries about whether their status and benefits have remained unchanged. In our practice, confusion arises primarily because the rules now differ depending on the date the protection application was filed, and not solely on Ukrainian citizenship itself.
We explain the current rules under Section 24, until when protection has been extended, who is entitled to it, what exactly has changed in benefits and health insurance in 2026, and which documents should be checked now.
Current rules under Section 24 as of 2026
A residence permit under Section 24 of the Residence Act (AufenthG) continues to provide access to the labour market, education, housing and social support — the legal structure of the status itself has not changed in 2026.
What has changed is not the content of the status, but the procedure for its extension. Permits that were valid on 1 February 2026 automatically remain valid until 4 March 2027, including all conditions and ancillary provisions, without the need to contact the foreigners’ authority.
Until when temporary protection has been extended
| Event | Date |
| Automatic extension of valid permits | Until 4 March 2027 |
| Visa-free entry for Ukrainians who were in Ukraine as of 24 February 2022 | Until 4 December 2026 |
| Deadline for registration after entry | 90 days |
The Council of the EU adopted the decision to extend temporary protection back in July 2025, and Germany is consistently transposing that decision into its domestic law through automatic extension rather than mass reissuance of permits.
Who can obtain temporary protection
The right to protection under Section 24 is held primarily by Ukrainian nationals who were in the country as of 24 February 2022, as well as members of their families and certain categories of stateless persons or foreign nationals who had permanent protection in Ukraine before the war.
- Ukrainian nationals who were in the country at the time of the full-scale invasion
- Family members — spouse, minor children
- Stateless persons with a permanent place of residence in Ukraine before 24 February 2022
- Foreign nationals with international protection in Ukraine before the war
Rules for Ukrainians already in Germany
The automatic extension applies specifically to those who already hold a permit under Section 24 — no separate application is required, and the validity of the permit is extended until 4 March 2027 without any further action.
Social benefits for this group also largely remain unchanged — if the protection application was filed before 1 April 2025, entitlement to Bürgergeld and full health insurance under the general scheme is retained.
Rules for those arriving in Germany now
New applicants have 90 days after entry to contact the foreigners’ authority and apply for a permit under Section 24 — delay in taking this step creates risks for access to social services and official registration.
From 30 July 2026, new applicants in some EU countries are subject to a check of the lawfulness of their departure from Ukraine and compliance with military registration requirements, and the date of the confirmed border crossing must not be more than 90 days before the application is filed.
This requirement does not apply to those who already held temporary protection status or filed an application before 30 July 2026 — the ordinary procedure applies to them, without additional proof of departure.
Key changes in 2026 to benefits and insurance
Social benefits have become the main subject of the 2026 changes: the government has moved some Ukrainian refugees from Bürgergeld to lower benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act (AsylbLG).
| Date of the protection application | Benefits from 2026 |
| Before 1 April 2025 | Bürgergeld at the regular rate |
| After 31 March 2025 | Reduced benefits under the AsylbLG — approximately 20% less |
For a single person, this means about EUR 441 per month under the AsylbLG instead of EUR 563 under Bürgergeld — a significant difference for a household budget, especially in the first months after moving.
Right to work
Access to the labour market under Section 24 remained unchanged in 2026 — holders of the status may work without a separate work permit, regardless of the date the protection application was filed.
The change to AsylbLG benefits does not affect the right to work itself — it concerns only the level of social support for those who are not yet employed or whose income is below the subsistence minimum.
Health insurance after the 2026 changes
Until the switch to the AsylbLG, Ukrainians have access to full statutory health insurance (GKV), with a free choice of health insurance fund and an electronic health card — this right is retained for those who applied before April 2025.
For new applicants transferred to the AsylbLG, the range of services is narrower: treatment of acute illness and pain, assistance for pregnant women, preventive examinations and, in individual cases, psychotherapy are guaranteed, but not the full scope of ordinary statutory insurance.
Registration and contacting the Ausländerbehörde
The procedure for contacting the Ausländerbehörde has not changed structurally in 2026: registration of the place of residence, filing an application for a permit, taking fingerprints and obtaining confirmation of status remain the standard steps.
- Registration of the place of residence (Anmeldung) with the competent authority
- Filing an application for a permit under Section 24 with the foreigners’ authority
- Collection of biometric data for issuance of the document
- Obtaining a Fiktionsbescheinigung while the application is pending, if a decision has not yet been made
A Fiktionsbescheinigung is issued only after the application has been filed and fingerprints have been taken — and this document remains valid until the authority makes a final decision, even if the formal period of validity has expired.
Travel to Ukraine and return to Germany
For return to Germany after a trip to Ukraine, what matters is having the residence permit itself with you — separate confirmation of the validity of the automatic extension is usually not required.
A risk arises when the permit is issued as a sticker in the national passport and the passport itself is surrendered or lost — without it, proving status at the border becomes considerably more difficult.
Whether a prolonged stay outside Germany affects the status
A prolonged absence from Germany, especially if it is accompanied by an actual move and the establishment of an ordinary place of residence in another country, may call into question the very basis for Section 24 status.
Temporary protection status is tied specifically to actual residence in Germany. Short trips to Ukraine or to another EU country do not in themselves jeopardise the permit, whereas an absence of many months without good cause is a potential reason for review by the authority.
What to check in your documents now
- The date shown on the Section 24 sticker or document — it may formally indicate 2024 or 2025, even though validity has in fact been extended automatically
- The validity of the foreign passport — without a valid passport, proving status is more difficult
- The status of the Fiktionsbescheinigung if the permit application is still pending
- The date the protection application was filed — that is what determines whether Bürgergeld or the AsylbLG applies in your case
If the documents you hold do not confirm the automatic extension, or if the date of the application is in doubt, it is worth obtaining official confirmation from the authority in advance, rather than clarifying this during travel or when applying for benefits.
It is also useful to keep copies of all previous decisions and correspondence with the foreigners’ authority — they may be needed as evidence specifically in the event of a dispute concerning the date of filing the application or the status of the transition to a new residence title.
Why the date of filing the application has become the key criterion
The division into two groups based on the date of filing the application — before or after 1 April 2025 — now determines virtually the entire scope of social support, and not merely the formal fact of obtaining §24 status.
In practice, this means that two families with the same temporary protection status may receive fundamentally different levels of benefits and access to medical services — solely because of a difference in the date of applying for protection.
According to budget calculations, the federal budget saves approximately EUR 1.32 billion on Bürgergeld in 2026. Meanwhile, the Länder and municipalities face an additional burden of approximately EUR 1.375 billion on benefits under the AsylbLG. Thus, the savings for the state as a whole are not as clear-cut as they may appear at first glance.
Typical client questions about the 2026 changes
Clients most often ask whether the transition to the AsylbLG also means the loss of §24 status itself — and here it is important to distinguish these two concepts. The change concerns solely the level of social support, not the right of residence or access to the labour market.
The second common question is whether a new application must be filed because of the change in the benefit rules. The answer is no: the transition between benefit systems takes place automatically on the basis of the date of the application for protection, which is already recorded with the authority, without any additional application by the applicant.
The third question concerns family reunification and a change of status to another Aufenthaltstitel — these procedures are discussed in detail in our separate materials and have not undergone structural changes in 2026, despite the changes in benefits.
Legal assistance for Ukrainians in Germany
To understand which of the 2026 changes specifically affect your situation — benefits, insurance, or status itself — and to review your documents in good time in order to avoid surprises when travelling or applying for assistance.
The lawyers of International Law Firm "Zahist" advise on the current §24 rules, help determine which benefit and insurance system applies specifically to your application filing date, and assist with applications to the foreigners’ authority.
We also help prepare documents for new applicants, taking into account the requirements in force from 30 July 2026, and advise on the consequences of a prolonged stay outside Germany.
If you need to clarify your status or benefits in Germany as of 2026, contact International Law Firm "Zahist" — we will review your situation in a consultation.
