Greece has decided to extend the temporary protection status for Ukrainians in the country until March 2025, the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum revealed.
The extension will apply to residence permits with an expiry date of March 4, 2023, September 4, 2023, or March 4, 2024, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
However, the ministry stated that during the above extension period, the Residence Permits held by beneficiaries of temporary protection won’t have to be renewed, and no additional steps are required.
The Ministry further noted it will grant temporary protection status to displaced Ukrainians who reach Greece for the first time until March 4 of next year.
In any case, new Temporary Protection Residence Permits will continue to be issued to displaced persons from Ukraine who will enter Greece for the first time until March 4, 2025.
Individuals holding a Ukrainian biometric passport can enter Greece by land and air with a maximum stay of 90 days, as noted by the ministry in the information portal for Ukrainian displaced people.
Meanwhile, those with a Ukrainian passport without biometric features may also enter Greece but must present a transit visa with a maximum stay of 90 days.
Ukrainian nationals without travel documents may enter the country only through the Passport Control Department in Promahon. This category will also be granted a maximum stay of 90 days after receiving a document from the Ukrainian Embassy in Greece staff.
After being granted temporary protection, the beneficiaries can work and receive medical care following Directive 2001/55 of the EU Council.
In addition to Greece, other European countries have already taken similar measures. In November 2023, Switzerland extended the protection status S for Ukrainians until March 4, 2025.
Furthermore, Swiss authorities set a new goal regarding labour market integration, aiming to employ 40 per cent of eligible individuals by the end of 2024.
Meanwhile, last December, the Swedish government decided to grant temporary protection to Ukrainians in Sweden who were not covered by such a status.
The decision, among other things, gives certain Ukrainian citizens and their family members the right to temporary protection if they were expelled from Ukraine on or after February 24, 2022, as a result of the military invasion of the Russian armed forces.
As of December 31 of last year, 4.31 million non-EU citizens who fled Ukraine due to the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, were granted temporary protection status in the EU, according to Eurostat, the EU statistical office.
