France Changes Rules for Ukrainian Refugees Staying in the Country
Ukrainian refugees who have now been resettled in France due to the war in their country and have a temporary residence permit in France with an indication “beneficiary of temporary protection” must resume this status six months after receiving the permit.
Only after finishing such a process Ukrainians will be able to enjoy protection in France and similar benefits, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Meanwhile, in order to renew the residence permit, these refugees must contact the Prefecture of the department of residence. However, applying in the Prefecture where the first residence document was issued is not necessary.
Referring to the request for the residence permit extension, it must be submitted from three weeks to three days before its expiration date. As a result, refugees are not allowed to apply earlier than three weeks because the Prefecture will not consider the request.
The documents that must be presented to the Prefecture are as follows:
- Documents confirming the status of civil refugees and their citizenship, as well as the previous temporary protection document
- Proof of address, which has a date no older than three months. If you do not rent the apartment, you will need an Attestation d’hébergement
- Any document confirming the change in the social situation (for example, an employment contract)
In addition, like other European countries, France has supported Ukrainian refugees by welcoming them to its territory.
In this regard, citizens from Ukraine with a biometric passport do not need a short stay visa to travel to France. This means that within the Schengen area, Ukrainian citizens have a legal stay of 90 days.
As for those Ukrainian refugees who decide to stay more than 90 days in France, they should quickly contact the Prefecture of their residence through their website to request an extension of the right of residence.
Temporary protection, authorized by the Council of the European Union on March 4, 2022, includes the right of residence, access to the labor market, housing support, access to care through health care, and school for minor children.
Moreover, the latest data provided by the UN Refugee Agency revealed that from the beginning of the war on February 24 until August 9, France registered 96,520 Ukrainian refugees who came from Europe. Such data also show that France has been issued temporary protection for the same amount of refugees.
