File on Ukraine

After the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022 many refugees from Ukraine came to the Netherlands. Most of them fall under the EU Temporary Protection Directive. They receive proof of this from the IND in the form of a residence sticker in their passport or document.

Mensen stappen uit een bus

Ukrainian nationality

The IND must assess Ukrainians who come to the Netherlands and ask for protection four weeks after registration at the municipality for whether they meet the conditions under the EU Temporary Protection Directive (TPD). Within that period they must also collect their residence sticker at an IND desk. If they have a right to temporary protection, in the Netherlands they receive municipal reception, medical care, education and they are allowed to work here.

In June 2024 the European Union extended the TPD by a year because the war is not over yet. The scheme has been extended to 4 March 2026.

The latest news reports about the TPD for Ukrainians:

Different application process for Ukrainian refugees: collect residence sticker within 4 weeks
Proof of residency for Ukrainians automatically extended (31 January 2023)
People with a temporary Ukrainian residence permit no longer entitled to municipal reception (19 July 2022)
IND process for refugees from Ukraine (8 April 2022)
Leniency for Ukrainians in the Netherlands (25 February 2022)
Moratorium on decisions on asylum applications by Ukrainians (28 February 2022)
IND gives Ukrainians information at reception centres (3 March 2022)
Refugees from Ukraine after registration automatically known to the IND (18 March 2022)

Third-country nationals

Besides refugees with Ukrainian nationality residents of Ukraine with a different nationality have also fled to the Netherlands, the so-called third-country nationals from Ukraine. They also received protection in the Netherlands via the TPD. In 2023 the former State Secretary decided that third-country nationals should be able to return to their countries of origin. Several third-country nationals did not agree with this and went to court. This resulted in various judgments. The Council of State (in Dutch: Raad van State, or RvS), the highest administrative court, needed to give a final and conclusive judgment in order to create clarity and unity. The RvS ruled that the support for third-country nationals would be allowed to end on 4 March 2024. Some of the third-country nationals also appealed against this ruling. Thereupon, the Amsterdam District Court decided to pose questions to the European Court of Justice. The Council of State (the Division) also did this afterwards. The case will be heard at the Court of Appeal on 3 September.

The latest news reports about third-country nationals from Ukraine:

IND informs third-country nationals from Ukraine about right of residence (2 May 2024)
IND informs third-country nationals from Ukraine about termination of temporary protection (29 January 2024)
IND informs third-country nationals from Ukraine about the asylum process (8 June 2023)
IND informs third-country nationals from Ukraine about their rights after 4 September (8 September 2023)
Temporary protection of third-country nationals will continue until 4 September 2023 (10 February 2023)

Available figures

References (e.g. site links or links to the House of Representatives)

Information for refugees from Ukraine on ind.nl/en
IND staff members and Ukraine
Documents sent to the House of Representatives
Information on Government.nl about refugees from Ukraine

Contact details spokesperson

Britt Enthoven
Mobile: 06 29 67 44 40 (also in evenings and weekends)

Tom van Essenberg
Mobiel: 06 23 30 76 98 (also in evenings and weekends)

E-mail: pers@ind.nl