Do I need to apply for anything? No. Temporary protection for people fleeing Ukraine now runs to 4 March 2028, and residence permits under section 24 of the Residence Act are extended automatically. The Bad Kissingen district office confirms that a visit to the immigration office, or a new application just to extend, is generally not required. The Ninth Amendment to the Ukraine-Aufenthalts-Übergangsverordnung was published in the Federal Law Gazette on 8 October 2026.
How we got here. EU states agreed in July to extend protection by another year to 4 March 2028. According to the EU, about 4.38 million people were under temporary protection across the bloc at the end of May 2026. The Bundesrat approved the German implementation on 25 September, according to the “Unternehmen integrieren Flüchtlinge” network. Before this, permits ran to 4 March 2027, also automatically and without a new document; Berlin’s immigration office had likewise said holders need not apply.
What about work? The automatic extension covers the work authorisation attached to the permit. If you are employed, you keep labour-market access without a new document. The expiry date printed on the card no longer decides; how employers should verify this is not set out in the notice. If in doubt, you can point your employer to the ordinance itself.
Who is not covered automatically. According to the Bad Kissingen office, the automatic extension covers only permits that fall under the ordinance; new arrivals and special personal circumstances are assessed separately. During the previous extension to March 2027, Berlin’s immigration office listed exceptions: anyone who arrived after the cut-off date of 1 February 2026 or did not hold a valid section 24 permit on that day (apply to the immigration office), and holders of a Fiktionsbescheinigung. The available sources give no cut-off date for the new ordinance – if in doubt, ask your local immigration office. Anyone who first received protection in another EU state and then moved to Germany does not receive it automatically; the case is reviewed individually.
New rules for men. Since 5 August 2026, newly arriving Ukrainian men of military age face extra conditions: they must show they left Ukraine in line with Ukrainian military-registration rules. The EU says the condition applies only to new applicants, not people who already have protection. It names examples of proof such as a passport with a Ukrainian exit stamp or a document confirming exemption or compliance.
Citizenship? The Bad Kissingen office points to a Bavarian Interior Ministry notice of 9 June 2026: section 24 permits generally stand in the way of naturalisation under the citizenship act, with time counted only in specific cases. Anyone planning naturalisation should clarify the route first with migration counselling (MBE).
Our assessment: for most people this is reassurance until 4 March 2028 – roughly another year and a half – but not a permanent status. Those who need certainty, for a tenancy or training, may check in parallel whether another residence title is possible. The deadlines remain tied to EU decisions and could become a political question again.
Sources: Bad Kissingen district office, EU (EEAS), NETZWERK Unternehmen integrieren Flüchtlinge, Berlin Immigration Office
