Extensions and deadlines

EU extension to 4 March 2028, automatic validity of German permits, rules for new arrivals from 9 October 2026.

The EU level

The 2026 decision (Official Journal L of 4 August 2026) extends protection from 5 March 2027 to 4 March 2028. It also says that people who are not allowed to leave Ukraine because they have not met their military obligations under Ukrainian law will not receive protection (Art. 2). According to the corrigendum this applies from 5 August 2026 and only to first-time applications from that day. People who already have protection keep it. Sources: European Parliament Research Service, EUAA. We could not open the EUR-Lex text directly.

Germany: your permit continues automatically

• § 24 permits that were valid on 1 February 2026 continue, with all conditions, until 4 March 2027 without an individual extension (UkraineAufenthFGV, as amended on 22 October 2025). You do not need an appointment or a new card. The date on your card does not change.
• For third-country nationals this applies only to the groups listed on Temporary protection.
• The automatic validity ends if the LEA extends your permit individually or issues it again because a condition changes.
• A German rule continuing the permits from 5 March 2027 to 4 March 2028 was not yet published on gesetze-im-internet.de in October 2026. Check the official sources before March 2027.

New arrivals

• People who were in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and enter Germany by 4 December 2027 do not need a residence permit for 90 days from first entry, unless they already have protection in another EU state (§ 2 UkraineAufenthÜV). They can apply for a permit inside Germany during this time (§ 3).
• From 9 October 2026, this exemption no longer applies to people with Ukrainian military obligations, unless they prove they have met them (§ 2 (3) UkraineAufenthÜV). See Ukrainian rules.
• The exemption ends when an application is refused.

What comes after 2028 is open. Read When protection ends.