You must meet these conditions to receive temporary protection in the Netherlands
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Would you like to know whether you are eligible for temporary protection in the Netherlands? In this article, you can find out who is covered by the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), which documents are important, and what the IND assesses. You can also find out when you will or will not be granted protection and how long you are allowed to stay in the Netherlands.
Who assesses whether you fall under the TPD?
The
When do you fall under the TPD?
1. You have Ukrainian citizenship
You meet one of the following conditions:
You fled Ukraine after 26 November 2021.
or:
You travelled to the
or:
You can prove that you were already living in the Netherlands before 27 November 2021, for example because you had applied for asylum.
You do not pose a threat to public order or national security.
You have not been granted temporary protection in another EU country.
Do you have military obligations in Ukraine? If so, you must prove that you have fulfilled your military obligations or that you are exempt from them. You can do this, for example, by showing a Ukrainian exit stamp in your passport or by presenting a (digital) document.
2. You do not have Ukrainian citizenship
Some people who do not have Ukrainian citizenship are also covered by the TPD. This applies if, on 23 February 2022, you:
Had refugee status in Ukraine.
or:
Had a valid permanent residence permit for Ukraine, for example for work or to live with a partner.
You must be able to prove that:
You left Ukraine after 26 November 2021.
and
You have not returned to your country of origin since 23 February 2022.
3. You are a family member of someone who falls under the TPD
In some cases, your family members may also be granted temporary protection in the Netherlands. This is the case for:
Your spouse or
Your partner, whom you are not married to but with whom you are in a committed relationship.
Your minor children.
Other family members who are dependent on your household and who lived with you in Ukraine.
You must have been living with your family in Ukraine before 24 February 2022.
If you and your partner are not married, the IND will check your relationship more closely. For example, the IND will want to know how long you have been together and whether your relationship is stable.
The IND may ask for proof of your relationship, such as:
Documents proving that you were living together.
Joint bank statements.
Photos.
Messages.
Other documents showing that you were already living together before the war.
You may stay until 4 March 2028
Did you receive a residence permit for temporary protection from the IND on or before 4 August 2026? If so, you may remain in the Netherlands until at least 4 March 2028. Nothing is certain yet regarding the situation after 4 March 2028. As soon as anything becomes clear, that information will be posted on RefugeeHelp.
When are you not entitled to temporary protection?
You will not be granted temporary protection if:
You do not have Ukrainian citizenship and only had a temporary residence permit in Ukraine, for example for study purposes.
You only had a pending asylum application in Ukraine, but had not yet been granted asylum.
You already have refugee status in another country.
You are a national of an EU country.
You have been convicted of a serious offence;
You cannot prove that you have fulfilled your military obligations.
What if you do not have enough documents?
Sometimes you may be entitled to temporary protection, but you may not have enough supporting documents. In that case, the IND may reject your application. You can appeal against this decision and try to gather further evidence, sometimes with the help of a lawyer.
Think for example of:
Documents from Ukraine.
Proof that you were living in Ukraine.
Proof of your family life.
Other official documents.
A place to live in Ukraine for an extended period
Before the war, some people lived outside Ukraine for long periods, for example for work or study.
They may also be covered by the TPD if they returned to Ukraine to live there again and were later forced to flee once more because of the war.
The IND will then consider your personal circumstances, for example:
How long you lived in Ukraine again.
Why you went back to Ukraine.
What your plan was to start your life over there.
It is therefore important to demonstrate that your return to Ukraine was intended to be for the purpose of living there for an extended period. A visit to Ukraine lasting less than 6 months is usually not sufficient to qualify for temporary protection.