§ 24 AufenthG is a provision of the German Residence Act that governs the mechanism of temporary protection (vorübergehender Schutz). It was activated at the EU level in March 2022 and has since remained the primary legal basis of residence for Ukrainian citizens who left the country after February 24, 2022.
Who Can Receive Temporary Protection
Status under § 24 AufenthG is granted primarily to:
- citizens of Ukraine who left the country after February 24, 2022;
- certain categories of third-country nationals and stateless persons who were permanently residing in Ukraine and are unable to return safely and stably to their country of origin.
What Rights the Status Grants
A permit under § 24 AufenthG generally includes:
- the right to work without additional approval from the labor authority;
- access to education and schooling for children;
- medical care;
- social benefits, where needed;
- the possibility of family reunification — requires an individual assessment of each case.
Duration of the Status
At the EU level, temporary protection has been extended until March 4, 2028. In Germany, permits valid as of February 1, 2026 continue to remain valid until March 4, 2027 without a separate application — provided the requirements of the UkraineAufenthFGV regulation are met. If a permit does not fall under this regulation, the holder must contact the foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) on their own initiative before it expires in order to extend it.
Status under § 24 AufenthG is fundamentally temporary in nature and does not automatically convert into another type of residence permit — changing your status always requires a separate application.
Switching to Another Status
It is possible to switch from § 24 AufenthG to several categories of residence permit:
- employment-based permits — § 18a (professionals with vocational training), § 18b (higher education), § 18g (EU Blue Card);
- study-based permits — § 16a (vocational training), § 16b (university studies);
- family-based permits — where the relevant family ties exist;
- a permanent residence permit — requires first switching to another status and meeting all the conditions.
Each such switch requires a separate application and does not happen automatically. In addition, a permit under § 24 AufenthG may include a residence-location restriction (Wohnsitzauflage), and traveling abroad while holding this status carries certain risks that are worth discussing with a lawyer before the trip.
Fiktionsbescheinigung
If an application to extend or change status is filed in time, a so-called "fictitious permit" (Fiktionsbescheinigung) is issued for the duration of its review, confirming the legality of the stay and, under certain conditions, allowing continued employment.
Conclusion
The temporary nature of protection under § 24 AufenthG means that the question of a long-term perspective for staying in Germany is worth addressing well in advance — especially if you're considering switching to an employment-, study-, or family-based residence permit. We can help you assess which path suits you best and prepare the documents for a timely application.
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All rights reserved. Copying or republishing this article requires a link to the original source.
