Germany: §24 residence permit for Ukrainians is automatically valid until 4 March 2027 — no new eAT or Fiktionsbescheinigung issued

From 1 February 2026, valid residence permits under temporary protection issued to Ukrainians in Germany under §24 para. 1 of the Residence Act (AufenthG) are automatically deemed extended until 4 March 2027. This means one main thing: if your permit was valid as of 1 February 2026, you remain legally in the country until spring 2027 — even if your card shows an earlier expiry date.

The basis is the Second Regulation amending the Regulation on the continued validity of permits for Ukrainians (2. UkraineAufenthÄndFGV), published in the Federal Law Gazette on 27 October 2025 (BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 252) and in force since 28 October 2025. It implements a decision at EU level: the member states politically agreed to extend temporary protection on 13 June 2025, and the formal Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1460 was adopted on 15 July 2025; both documents name the end date — 4 March 2027.

What has changed and what you now do NOT need to do

The most important thing for everyday life: there is no need to submit an extension application, and there is no need to go for an appointment at the immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde). The extension takes effect directly by virtue of the regulation, automatically for everyone who falls under it.

• No new electronic permit (eAT) is issued. Likewise, no new Fiktionsbescheinigung is issued. There is simply no procedure within which they would need to be drawn up — the extension occurs «by itself».
• The old card remains valid. If your eAT shows an expiry date earlier than 4 March 2027, the document is nevertheless legally valid until 4 March 2027. The date on the plastic has expired — your status has not.
• The extension is recorded in the registers. The information has been automatically entered into the Central Register of Foreigners (Ausländerzentralregister, AZR), and the border services of the Schengen member states and the authorities that grant benefits have been informed of this.

Who it concerns — and who it does NOT

The automatic extension covers Ukrainian citizens with a permit under §24 para. 1 AufenthG that was valid as of 1 February 2026, together with all conditions and restrictions of that permit.

It does not apply to:

• those whose permit expired before 1 February 2026 (here you need to contact the Ausländerbehörde separately);
• those who do not yet have a permit under §24 and are only planning to obtain one — the usual application procedure applies to them;
• stateless persons and third-country nationals who did not have a corresponding protection status in Ukraine as of 24 February 2022, are not family members of protected persons and did not have a valid permanent residence permit in Ukraine — additional conditions apply to them.

How to confirm your status if the date on the card is «expired»

In practice, a question may arise from a bank, employer or authority as to why the eAT shows an old date. In such a case, you can refer directly to the extension regulation (UkraineAufenthFGV): the permit is valid until 4 March 2027 regardless of the date printed on the plastic. If necessary, a certificate confirming validity can be requested from your Ausländerbehörde.

Regarding travel within Schengen: the border services of the member states have been informed of the extension and can check the validity of the permit via the register. If you plan to travel and your card is visually «expired», it is advisable to also carry a valid passport with you and, if possible, written confirmation of the extension from the authority — this reduces the risk of misunderstandings at the border.

What an eAT is and where the «digitalisation» comes in here

The electronic residence permit (elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel, eAT) is a plastic card in bank-card format with a built-in chip. The chip stores personal data, biometrics (photo and fingerprints) and additional conditions of the permit. The card also has an online identification function (eID), which allows you to use government and commercial online services via the AusweisApp application; this function is voluntary. According to BAMF, paper documents are now issued only in exceptional cases — the eAT has become the standard.

It is important to understand: the current extension until 2027 does not change the card format itself and does not «digitalise» the status anew. It merely extends the legal validity of existing documents without reissuance. So if you are told that «you urgently need to swap your card for a new digital one», for most §24 holders this is currently not the case.

What to do right now

1. Check whether your §24 permit was valid as of 1 February 2026. If so — you are under the automatic extension, there is nothing to submit.
2. Keep your existing eAT — it remains your document until 4 March 2027.
3. If your permit expired earlier than 1 February 2026 or you do not yet have a §24 — contact the Ausländerbehörde in the usual way.
4. Before travelling or an important administrative matter, request written confirmation of validity from the authority if necessary.