You do not have to register as a war refugee immediately. You can stay in Germany without a visa or residence permit for up to 90 days after entering the country. However, if you wish to stay longer, find work or claim social benefits, you must register and apply for a residence permit.
In order to register, go to the Arrival Centre at Tegel Airport. You can use the free shuttle buses from the main railway station, from the General-Ganeval-Brücke bus stop and from the P3 car park at Tegel Airport.
At the Arrival Centre it is decided assess whether you can stay in Berlin or will be allocated to another federal state in Germany. The allocation takes place according to the Königstein distribution scale, by which about 5 percent of all refugees can stay in Berlin. If another federal state is responsible for your accommodation and supplying your basic needs, you can travel there free of charge and apply for a residence permit on arrival. If you have relatives in Berlin, or you have found permanent accommodation or you have found a job, you can usually remain in Berlin. This applies regardless of whether your relatives have lived in Berlin for some time or whether they also fled from the war and already have a right of residence in Berlin.
If you are able to stay in Berlin, you will also be registered at the Arrival Centre in Tegel.
Registration usually takes 20 to 60 minutes. To make sure the appointment goes as smoothly as possible, please bring the following documents with you:
- Ukrainian identity documents or residence permit in Ukraine
- If available: residents’ registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung), lease or your current address if you have made your own accommodation arrangements with friends or family.
During the registration, your fingerprint and photos of you will be taken. After the registration, you are not yet allowed to work and do not yet have a residence permit. To receive a residence permit you have to apply online.