Germany's new rules for Ukrainian refugees: what will change this spring

In Germany from April 2026, the full operation of the biometric entry/exit control system EES will be launched, which will necessarily affect the rules of entry into the country for all foreigners, reports Ausnews.de.

Ukrainians will now be fingerprinted and photographed when crossing the border, and information about the person will be stored in a database for three years. The system has been gradually implemented since 2025, but now it will start working at full capacity in all airports and seaports in Germany.

The aim of the EES is to automatically record foreigners crossing Schengen borders.

For non-EU citizens, this means mandatory biometric checks. The innovation increases security, but will create new challenges for travellers: the time of border control will increase, queues are possible, especially in major transport hubs, such as Frankfurt and Munich airports, - says the publication.

Ukrainians are advised to set aside extra time in advance in order not to miss their flights. For citizens of the EU and Schengen countries, the procedure for crossing the border will remain the same.

In addition to control at the border, changes will affect the financial sphere of Ukrainians in Germany. The popular Miles & More bonus programme for Deutsche Kreditbank customers, which allowed them to earn bonus miles when flying with partner airlines such as Lufthansa, LOT, Austrian Airlines and SWISS, will be closed.

By the end of April 2026, all Deutsche Kreditbank credit cards will no longer support the programme. To continue using the rewards, you will need to open an account with Deutsche Bank, pass a credit check and confirm your income level. After that it will be necessary to issue a new bank card of Mastercard format. For many Ukrainians, this will create additional bureaucratic and time-consuming difficulties, especially if they do not have a stable income or official employment in Germany.