Important information
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Where is it?
Obtain temporary protection
What is it?
Temporary protection grants immediate protection to people displaced in France or unable to return to their country because of the war in Ukraine.
Temporary protection is an exceptional device authorized by the Council of the European Union since March 2022, and extended until March 4, 2026.
In France, temporary protection gives different rights :
- a temporary residence authorization (APS) on French territory for a period of 6 months, with the mention "beneficiary of temporary protection" and renewable for 3 years
- permission to work and open a bank account
- the possibility of receiving financial aid , such as the asylum seeker allowance (ADA)
- access to medical care (see a doctor, have medication)
- possibility of enrolling minor children in school
- support in finding suitable accommodation.
The majority of files on Réfugiés.info are aimed at people benefiting from temporary protection. They are available translated into Ukrainian on the site or on the application (download from the App Store (Apple) or the Play Store (Android) ).
How to do it?
You can request temporary protection if you are in one of these situations:
- You are a Ukrainian citizen and you lived in Ukraine before February 24, 2022
- You are not a Ukrainian citizen, but you benefit from protection (international or equivalent national) given by the Ukrainian authorities
- You are not a Ukrainian citizen, but you hold a valid permanent residence permit issued by the Ukrainian authorities and you do not have the possibility of returning to your country of origin in a safe and lasting manner
- You are a family member (spouse, unmarried minor child and dependent parents) of a person in situation 1 or 2.
To request temporary protection, you must go to the prefecture closest to you.
Click here to see the map of prefectures in France.
Do not forget to bring the documents you have that justify your identity and your situation, for example:
- identity card or passport,
- resident card issued by the Ukrainian authorities if you are not a Ukrainian citizen,
- family record book,
- business card,
- diplomas,
- proof of entry into Schengen territory (stamp on passport),
- consular authorization…
You must come there accompanied by members of your family if they are in France with you (parents, spouse and children).
The prefecture will give you a form to complete and an appointment date to submit the file (with the originals and photocopies of your documents and 4 photos).
What happens next?
If your application is complete and admissible, you will be protected and issued with a provisional residence permit (APS).
This document authorizes you to stay in France.
You can then contact the nearest French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII) to find out if French courses are possible and request your ADA card.
Your provisional residence permit (APS) allows you to work without any special action.
France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) can help you find a job or training.
To find out more about your rights and obligations in France, you can read the welcome booklet in France for displaced people from Ukraine available by clicking here (in French and Ukrainian).
You must request renewal of the provisional residence permit between 3 weeks and 3 days before the expiry date .
To find out how to do it, go to the website of the prefecture closest to you.
For example: Paris Police Prefecture
The documents requested are different depending on your situation:
- the previous temporary residence permit (APS) of each adult member of the family
- the same documents as in the application file
- supporting documents if your situation has changed (marriage, divorce, etc.)
- if possible, proof of address less than 3 months old OR a certificate of accommodation if you live with another person or in a home
- if possible, proof of your resources since your arrival in France (pay slips, employment contract, etc.) or your activities (volunteering, studies, etc.).
If you wish, you can apply for asylum in France.
- You must first go to a first reception centre for asylum seekers (SPADA) to pre-register your application.
- You will then receive a summons for an appointment at the one-stop shop for asylum seekers (GUDA), where you register your application, explain why you are seeking asylum and give your fingerprints.
- You then have 21 days to prepare your application and submit it to the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA).
The rights of these 2 statuses are different , for example concerning authorization to work or return to the country of origin.
The asylum application ends with a decision from Ofpra on your international protection: obtaining the status of refugee or beneficiary of subsidiary protection, or rejection of the application. This is a different procedure from temporary protection and its outcome depends on your individual personal situation.
The asylum application procedure is more complicated and takes longer.
You must first collect a re-examination form from your local prefecture, which will give you a provisional residence permit. Complete the form and send it by post to Ofpra within 8 days.
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