Social benefits for refugees

If you need support, the first thing you should do is register at an initial reception centre (Erstaufnahmeeinrichtung). You can be registered anywhere in Germany at a foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde) office.

You can receive money from the jobcentre or welfare office if you have applied for a residence permit under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz) at the foreigners authority office of your place of residence or where you are staying. If a residence permit cannot be issued immediately under Section 24 (1) of the Residence Act, you will first be issued a provisional residence document (known as a Fiktionsbescheinigung). This document already entitles you to receive social benefits.

Filing a formal asylum application with the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) also entitles you to benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act. However, displaced persons from Ukraine are not required to apply for asylum in order to secure right of residence and/or to receive social benefits in Germany.