Germany extends temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 2028, with new curbs on military-age men
Germany has formally extended temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens until March 4, 2028, implementing an EU Council decision adopted in late July. The new rules, signed by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on September 30 and entering force on October 9, also bar conscription-age Ukrainian men who do not comply with Ukrainian military duty requirements from receiving temporary protection when entering from August 5, 2026 (EU) or October 9, 2026 (Germany).
Key points
- Germany extended temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens until March 4, 2028.
- The decree was signed on September 30 by Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt with Bundesrat consent.
- It was published in the Bundesgesetzblatt on October 8 and enters force on October 9.
- Conscription-age Ukrainian men entering the EU from August 5, 2026 will not receive temporary protection unless they confirm compliance with Ukrainian military duty requirements.
- In Germany from October 9, the 90-day in-country residence-permit exemption also will not apply to that group without such confirmation.
- The restrictions do not apply to Ukrainians already under temporary protection in the EU, including those who become subject to military obligations later.
- Germany's separate 90-day residence-permit exemption for covered persons is extended until December 4, 2027.
- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in September that Ukrainian men of military age in Germany should return home.
Why it matters
Germany's decree carries out the EU's one-year extension of temporary protection for displaced Ukrainians, giving the large Ukrainian community in Germany continued legal residency and access to protection through early 2028. At the same time, it implements a politically sensitive carve-out that denies temporary protection to conscription-age men who cannot show compliance with Ukrainian military-duty rules, putting pressure on some to return and creating uncertainty for future arrivals from Ukraine.
What happened
The German Federal Ministry of the Interior issued a decree, signed by Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt on September 30 with the Bundesrat's consent, extending Germany's temporary protection regime for Ukrainian citizens until March 4, 2028. The decree implements EU Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912, which the Council of the European Union adopted by written procedure on July 30 to extend EU-wide temporary protection for displaced Ukrainians by one year. Germany's separate 90-day rule, allowing covered persons to stay without a residence permit and apply for one from inside the country, was also extended until December 4, 2027.
Under the new rules, conscription-age Ukrainian men entering the EU from August 5, 2026 will not be granted temporary protection unless they confirm that they are either not subject to military obligations or are exempt and had the legal right to leave Ukraine. In Germany from October 9, the 90-day exemption from the residence-permit requirement will not apply to this group either, unless they confirm compliance with the relevant Ukrainian legal requirements. The restrictions do not apply retroactively: Ukrainians already under temporary protection in the EU, including those who become subject to military obligations later (for example, upon reaching conscription age or being called up), retain their status.
The decree was published in the Bundesgesetzblatt on October 8 and entered into force the following day. In September, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul publicly stated that Ukrainian men of military age currently in Germany should return home, signalling the political direction ahead of the legal change.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All three Ukrainian-language sources lead with the headline that Germany extended temporary protection until March 2028, framing the move primarily as a positive continuity story for Ukrainians abroad. Two of the three flag the military-age-male exception directly in the headline, signalling awareness that the carve-out is politically sensitive for the Ukrainian diaspora.
Where reporting differs
Some sources frame the exception as taking effect from October 9, 2026 for entries into Germany specifically, while others frame it as taking effect from August 5, 2026 for entries into the EU under EU-level rules; the German decree additionally narrows the in-country 90-day residence-permit exemption for this group from October 9.
Background
The EU Council adopted Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912 on July 30, 2026, extending temporary protection for displaced Ukrainians by one year to March 4, 2028. Germany's separate 90-day exemption, allowing covered persons to stay without a residence permit and apply for one from inside the country, has been extended until December 4, 2027.