Ukrainians flee to Romania and Germany: what illegal border-crossers receive under the EU’s new rules

Ukrainian men who cross the border illegally after the European Union’s new rules came into force are receiving asylum in Romania on general grounds instead of temporary protection, while in Germany temporary protection continues to be granted in the standard manner.

This is being reported by the men themselves on social media, as well as by Ukrainians living in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

According to the men who ended up in Romania, local officials are giving conflicting explanations: some say that the granting of asylum will depend on each person’s individual situation and the reasons why they left Ukraine, while others assure them that everyone will receive asylum. Officials also stated that asylum status will allow Ukrainians to travel and work throughout the European Union.

Applicants will have to wait at least a month, and possibly several months, for their status to be assigned — the procedure is new and the influx of Ukrainians is enormous. According to rumors, border guards told the men that as many as 1,500 Ukrainian men fled to Romania in a single day. For now, the illegal border-crossers are living in a camp, and their foreign passports have been confiscated. According to them, conditions in the camp resemble a dormitory.

The situation in Germany is unfolding differently. Ukrainians living in North Rhine-Westphalia told the outlet Strana that German authorities are continuing to grant temporary protection to Ukrainian men of military age. As an example, they cited a 50-year-old resident of Dnipro who recently submitted documents for temporary protection and received it the same day. The man listed family reunification as the grounds for his status. During the application process, he was not asked any questions about how he left Ukraine or whether he is required to serve in the army, and he was not required to show the “Reserve+” app.

A translator who assisted him said that Germany’s migration services have not yet received any instructions on how to check men of military age, and so all Ukrainians are being processed in the standard manner.

Since August 5, the European Union has linked the granting of temporary protection to Ukrainians to whether applicants are fulfilling their military obligations as required by Ukrainian law.