Erlangen helps - Ukraine

If you have found private accommodation in the city of Erlangen, for example with friends, acquaintances and relatives, or if you have been assigned an apartment by the Housing Department of the Social Welfare Office of the City of Erlangen, then the first thing you do is register the occupation of the apartment in the service area of the Citizens' Registration Office on the first floor of the City Hall (= Registration Office).

For registration at the Residents' Registration Office, the following documents are required:  

• Passports of all family members
• a housing provider confirmation (filled out by the housing provider or the letter from the Department of Housing of the Social Welfare Office)
• if available: Marriage certificates and birth certificates

A sample of the housing provider confirmation is available at the information counter of the Bürgeramt on the first floor or for download under the item forms here.

The registration is required so that refugees can apply to the City of Erlangen (including for a residence permit and / or social benefits). Through the registration, the responsibility of the city of Erlangen is established.

Note:If you are housed outside the city of Erlangen, you must contact the local authorities and counseling centers of the cities and district offices. This applies both to the registration with the registration office, the application for social benefits and for the clarification of other issues. 

People vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines are considered unvaccinated. They can get tested free of charge at pharmacies, test centers and test centers that offer so-called citizen testing under Section 4a of the Testing Ordinance. The prerequisite is the presentation of an identification document. The nearest testing stations near City Hall are the Medicon Schnelltest Station am Rathausplatz or the Corona Test Station Arcaden (Nürnberger Str. 7).

The German government's aid portal "Germany4Ukraine" offers a central and trustworthy digital contact point for refugees from Ukraine. At "Germany4Ukraine", there is multilingual information on various topics, such as residence, health care, housing and social support.

The homepage for Ukraine assistance of the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior, for Sports and Integration also provides a lot of useful information for refugees from Ukraine.

Information specifically on the topic of health is also available in the Online Guide for Asylum Seekers on the homepage of the Federal Ministry of Health.

The Refugee and Integration Counseling Service provides initial counseling, especially on questions regarding housing options and cash benefits. In addition to German and English, the counseling is also provided in Ukrainian and Russian. To do so, come to City Hall during the opening hours of the Social Welfare Office. Outside the opening hours, an audition is possible after prior appointment.

The opening hours of the Social Welfare Office of the City of Erlangen are:

Monday 14:00 to 16:00
Tuesday 9:00 to 12:00
Thursday 9:00 to 12:00
Friday 9:00 to 12:00

Due to the large number of consultations, there are currently longer waiting times. We ask for understanding!

The refugee and integration counseling can be found on the 3rd floor of the City Hall of Erlangen. More information about the refugee and integration counseling is available here.

The refugee and integration counseling can be reached by telephone at the following numbers: 09131 86 2081, 09131 86 1890, 09131 86 1989

Due to the numerous inquiries, telephone counseling is only possible to a limited extent. Therefore, it is preferable to contact us by e-mail at integrationsberatung@stadt.erlangen.de

Until now, refugees from Ukraine could apply for benefits under the Asylum Seekers Act (AsylbLG) from the Social Welfare Office.

The German government has decided that Ukrainian refugees will be able to receive benefits from the Jobcenter or from the Social Welfare Department (SGB XII) from 1. June 2022 benefits under the SGB II from the Job Center or under the SGB XII from the Department of Social Assistance (basic security) can receive if they are registered under the law on aliens. 

This change of responsibilities from the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act to the Job Center or the Department of Social Assistance (basic security) is called "Rechtskreiswechsel". The city of Erlangen would like to make this "Rechtskreiswechsel" as simple as possible. 

Whether you receive benefits under SGB II from the Job Center or under SGB XII from the Department of Social Assistance (Basic Security) depends primarily on your age or your pension entitlements.

Syou were born in 1956 or later? 

All important information about benefits under SGB II can be obtained from the pages of the Jobcenter.

You were born earlier than 1956 or are entitled to a German, Ukrainian or other old-age pension?

You can obtain all important information on benefits under SGB XII from the pages of the Department of Social Assistance.

Note: Applications for benefits under the Asylum Seekers Act (AsylbLG), which were approved until May 31, 2022, will be automatically extended by the Social Welfare Office. A follow-up or further application for approval does not have to be submitted.

Yes. If you live in Erlangen and receive benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, you are entitled to apply for an ErlangenPass. With the ErlangenPass you receive numerous benefits. Also, the ErlangenPass is a settlement card for education and participation benefits.

You can obtain the ErlangenPass on application at the Social Welfare Office of the City of Erlangen. More information about the ErlangenPass and education and participation benefits as well as required application documents can be found here:

ErlangenPass

Education and Participation

In addition to the issuance of the fictitious certificate and the ordering of the electronic residence permit, each refugee must be registered with the PIK station. The registration with the PIK station includes the recording of all ten fingerprints and the taking of a photograph.

The organization of the registration with the PIK station is always done through the municipal aliens department. Appointments for registration with the PIK station either in the city hall or in the ANKER facility Zirndorf are assigned by the aliens department of the city of Erlangen. A choice for you does not exist.

People who are housed in an emergency shelter are usually registered at the ANKER center Zirndorf.

For appointments at the ANKER facility Zirndorf, buses are provided to take you there and also back. You will be provided with meals on site if needed.

Registration with the PIK station is mandatory. Without registration, no residence permit will be issued.

Currently, entry and stay for 90 days is possible without a visa. Refugee Ukrainian nationals and third-country nationals who have a permanent residence title in Ukraine and have lived in Ukraine until 24.02.2022 have the possibility to apply for a residence title according to §24 AufenthG. It is not necessary to apply for asylum. The residence title is regularly granted for a period of 1 year and is also valid for family members. Gainful employment is also regularly permitted.

If you have any questions, you can contact the refugee and integration counseling or directly the Foreigners' Registration Office (information desk on the 2nd floor of the town hall). For more information, call 09131 86 1993

Before you can apply for a residence permit, the registration of the current residential address must take place at the registration office on the first floor of the city hall. The application for the granting of a residence permit according to § 24 para. 1 AufenthG (hum. granting of protection for war refugees) can be made uncomplicated via a online procedure. 

When applying, existing identification documents must be uploaded.

The foreigners authority processes the application for a residence permit and contacts the refugees.

to the online procedure

For more information on applying for a residence permit, see here.

If you do not have an accommodation option in the city of Erlangen, you must report to the Anker Center in Zirndorf. The Free State decides on further accommodation and allocates you accommodation within Bavaria.

The address of the Anker Center in Zirndorf is:

Anker Center
Rothenburger Straße 29
90513 Zirndorf

This procedure applies to both Ukrainian nationals and third-country nationals who have a permanent residence title in Ukraine and have lived in Ukraine until 24.02.2022 have lived in Ukraine.

Further information on entry from Ukraine and residence in Germany is available on the page of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), of the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior, for Sports and Integration (StMI) as well as on the Help Portal "Germany4Ukraine" of the Federal Government - also in Ukrainian.

When fleeing or being housed in Germany, many women and children are at increased risk of violence and abuse.

The Erlangen Women's Emergency Hotline offers counseling and support for women and girls who have experienced violence - even for people who do not speak German. More information and contact details for the Erlangen Women's Emergency Hotline are available here.

Important telephone numbers:

• Help hotline Violence against women: 08000 116 016
• Help hotline Sexual abuse: 0800 22 55 530
• Help hotline Pregnant women in distress: 0800 40 40 020
• In case of emergency Police: 110

Fleeing children and adolescents are required to attend school after three months of residence. If refugee children and adolescents have a permanent place to stay (e.g. private apartment, organized accommodation), where they obviously live for a longer period of time, school attendance can be registered.

Registration for elementary school children aged 6 to 9 or 10 takes place directly at the respective elementary school in the place of residence or in the vicinity (= school district). For this, the legal guardians must present a confirmation of registration, e.g. a residence permit in accordance with § 24 AufenthG.

Also when registering at schools from the fifth grade, the legal guardians must present a confirmation of registration. At which school the children and adolescents are taught depends on their knowledge of German.

Fleeing children and adolescents with good knowledge of German can be registered by their parents at a school near their place of residence (= Schulsprengel). The children and young people have the opportunity to be educated there in regular classes of the respective school type. The school management decides on the admission.

Fleeing children and young people with little or no knowledge of German must be registered online via a form. They are then assigned to a school in the Erlangen city area. Whether the children and adolescents are schooled in welcome groups or in regular classes with additional remedial courses in German, the respective school decides.

The classes start after registration on the following Monday or after consultation with the respective school.

Note: Fleeing children and adolescents also need measles protection. Initially, children and adolescents may attend schools without proof of measles protection. A measles vaccination is required for school attendance and must be given promptly. Children and adolescents can get measles vaccinations from their pediatrician or general practitioner.

Further information on the topic of schooling for children and adolescents who have fled Ukraine can be found on the website of the Erlangen State Education Authority - also in Ukrainian.

Filling out applications, looking for work, meeting new people: learning the German language is an important step in living in Germany.

You can apply for admission to an integration course. For this you need

• a residence title (§ 24 AufenthG) or a so-called fictitious certificate
• an application for authorization

If you have received a residence title or a fictitious certificate from the foreigners authority, you can apply for authorization for an integration course. Participation in the integration course is free of charge for refugees from Ukraine.

The application for entitlement or admission to an integration course is available for download on the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

You then send the completed form together with a copy of the residence title or fiction certificate by mail to

Federal Office for Migration and Refugees

Regional Coordination for Erlangen

Rothenburger Str. 29

90513 Zirndorf

You will receive the authorization or admission to an integration course by mail to your specified home address.

Before you can start an integration course, it needs a placement test. This determines the individual language level. To take a placement test, send an email requesting an appointment for the placement test and a photo of your eligibility or commitment to the integration course to vhs.integration@stadt.erlangen.de   

You will receive an email with the date and time. Please come to the appointment on time and bring the following: Authorization (BAMF) in the original, ID. 

After the test, you will receive your documents of the placement, a course overview for Erlangen and a recommendation at which course provider the next possible, suitable course starts. You go there with your documents and register for the integration course.

The Erlangen Employment Agency is responsible for job placement. Together with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Chamber of Crafts, it supports refugees in the topics of job search, training and professional qualification.

Questions about the topic of work are answered by the hotline of the Employment Agency at 0911 178 7915

The employees of the Employment Agency speak Ukrainian and Russian. The hotline of the Employment Agency is available from Monday to Thursday in the period from 8:00 to 16:00 and on Friday from 8:00 to 13:00

Further information is available here.

The Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) has study and further education offers for refugee students with Ukrainian citizenship.

In order to be able to make a suitable study offer, prior individual consultation is required.

To do this, write an e-mail with a brief summary of your previous study history to students-welcome@fau.de

Afterwards, the request will be forwarded to the appropriate FAU advising office. They will then contact you.

Note: FAU's degree and continuing education programs are currently designed for students at Ukrainian universities with Ukrainian citizenship.

For more information on FAU's services for refugee students, here - also in Ukrainian language.

Students from Ukrainian universities with other citizenship are welcome to apply for regular course offerings. More information can be found on the Homepage for International Applicants.

Erlangen offers numerous offers from education and leisure. You can find an overview of all offers here:

District centers

vhs Erlangen

library

Family support centers

Heimat ERlangen

center for single parents

You are interested in taking in refugee children or young people? You would like to offer them a safe home as a foster family?

An accommodation of refugee children or adolescents takes place within the framework of a care relationship. This is accompanied by the specialist service full-time care. The specialists prepare you for a possible admission and are available to advise you. Prerequisite for the admission of children or adolescents is a review by the specialist service full-time care.

The specialist service full-time care of the city youth welfare office offers advice and information by calling 09131 86 2516 or by e-mail at sozialdienst.stadtjugendamt@stadt.erlangen.de

How to report your private living space

The willingness of Erlanger*innen to help is great. Many offer private living space. Use our web form to report available living space:

Report Housing

These listings are wanted

We are looking for completed apartments to rent to refugees. The Integration Counseling together with the Integration Helper of the City of Erlangen will then put you in contact with refugees who are looking for housing.

This should be noted

If you want to offer completed housing for refugees from Ukraine, you must conclude the lease agreement with the refugees themselves.

A lease agreement with the Housing Department of the Social Welfare Office of the City of Erlangen is NOT possible anymore.

Refunding

Fleeing refugees from Ukraine can apply for benefits from the Jobcenter or Social Welfare Office if they are registered and have a residence title according to § 24 AufenthG or the so-called fictitious certificate.

If refugees are in need of assistance and cannot finance the rent privately, the rent can be covered by the Jobcenter or Social Welfare Office of the City of Erlangen, Department of Social Assistance, within the applicable rent ceilings. If the amount of the rent costs is based on the rent ceilings, it is possible for the Job Center / Social Welfare Office to assume the costs for the gross cold rent (cold rent + ancillary costs) as well as the costs for heating. As soon as refugees are no longer dependent on benefits from the job center or social welfare office, the rent must be financed with their own income.

Note: the adequacy of the rental costs must be checked before signing and concluding a rental agreement and the consent of the job center / social welfare office must be obtained from the tenants. For this, it needs a rental agreement that contains all the relevant information about the apartment:

• Name and address of the landlord
• Address of the rental property
• Living space in m² and number of rooms
• How much the rent costs broken down by net cold rent, amount of operating costs, amount of heating costs
• How much the deposit

Rent ceilings (maximum rent in Erlangen)

In Erlangen, as of 01.08.2021 by the city council the following rent ceilings decided.

Important here: the maximum rent amounts are composed of basic rent plus utilities, but without heating costs. Costs for car parking spaces and garages can not be taken over.

Depending on the number of persons in the household, the following maximum rental amounts result:

For energy refurbished apartments with full thermal insulation, the upper limits are increased by about 10 percent. Whether it concerns with an dwelling an energiesanierte dwelling, results from the energy document of identification of the house. Information can give for this the landlord (e.g. the GeWoBau).

Independent of these fixed borders are to be evaluated for the evaluation of the question of the reasonableness always also the circumstances of the individual case with. In justified individual cases, higher rent amounts can also be recognized.

Donations in kind

Due to many different offers of help from social institutions, we do not have our own collection point for donations in kind. Please note that we do not accept donations in kind. Therefore, we ask you to refrain from requests and offers to donate clothes and goods to us. 

Instead, we call on you to support the Erlangen Tafel:

Support for the Tafel Erlangen

The Tafel Erlangen is urgently asking for food donations to support Ukrainian families who have fled.

Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, butter and shelf-stable items such as pasta, rice and canned goods are particularly needed. But also drugstore and hygiene products such as diapers are needed.

Donations can be received on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10:00 to 13:00 at the Tafel in Schillerstr. 52 A in Erlangen.

Donations

To support the refugees, the city of Erlangen has set up a donation account. The donation account is: DE77 7607 0012 0776 1000 00 at Deutsche Bank. Who would like to donate, is asked to indicate the intended purpose "donation Ukraine" with the transfer. A donation receipt is provided, if as intended purpose beside "donation Ukraine" additionally still the name and the postal address are indicated.

The donations flow to associations, carriers, welfare organizations and initiatives, which engage themselves for refugees and humans in emergency situation in Ukraine. They enable unbureaucratic assistance without long application channels or processing times. They are used for emergencies that arise from acute situations and may not be covered by the available social benefits, such as the replacement of defective glasses or special medicines.

Money donations for Nuremberg's partner city Kharkiv

The city of Erlangen joins the call for donations from the city of Nuremberg for humanitarian aid for Nuremberg's partner city Kharkiv in Ukraine. The donations received will be used to provide food to people in air-raid shelters, distribute children's food and diapers, and urgently needed medicines.
The donations account has been set up at the Partnerschaftsverein Charkiw-Nürnberg e. V.. Account: DE12 7605 0101 0001 3500 58, Stadtsparkasse Nuremberg, reason for payment: "Aid projects in Kharkiv". 

Up-to-date information is available on the Website of the city of Nuremberg

Whoever would like to volunteer and support refugees from Ukraine in Erlangen can contact us by email at engagiert.integriert@stadt.erlangen.de report.

Note: Please note that there are currently many more offers of help than need for support. The integration pilot in the Social Welfare Office bundles the offers of assistance and will contact you when and where concrete help is needed. Therefore, we ask for a little patience.

Newsletter for those willing to help

You always want to stay up to date? Then sign up for the newsletter "Engagiert.Integriert". The integration pilot provides regular information on the topics of integration, migration, flight and commitment. The newsletter contains current news and various opportunities for volunteers. Interested? 

Subscribe now!