Netherlands

Under the EU Temporary Protection Directive, refugees from Ukraine can claim temporary protection in the Netherlands. The Ukraine Temporary Scheme enables its participants to reception, health treatment, and education in the Netherlands for minor children.

If you arrive in the Netherlands from Ukraine, you are not required to apply for Temporary protection right away. You can stay here for 90 days without a visa. Ukrainian refugees are subject to special regulations (so-called "Temporary Protection"). Registered Ukrainian refugees will be able to stay in the Netherlands until at least March 4th, 2023, according to the government. This might be extended for up to three years. You must first register with a Dutch municipality before being requested to register with the IND.

BRP Registration for Ukrainians
It is critical that Ukrainian refugees be registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP) of the municipality in which they live, even if they do not reside in that municipality (but are for instance with a host family). This is true for people who have proof of Ukrainian nationality in the form of an ID or passport. Ukrainians who do not have (or do not have all of) their documents (e.g. all Ukrainian passports, ID cards and/or certificates (birth, marriage, adoption) should first travel to the Ukrainian Embassy in The Hague. You will be given a citizen service number (BSN) once you are registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP).

IND registration
The Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) receives the notification of your BRP registration automatically. The IND will ask migrants to make a full application. This will serve as confirmation that they are subject to the particular regulations that apply to Ukrainian refugees.

As of April 1st, Ukrainian refugees are scheduled to receive a monthly living allowance of €260 per person. In addition to the living subsidy, refugees who reside with a host family earn a monthly bonus. Adults earn an additional €215 per month, while children receive an additional €55 per month. This money can be used for public transportation or sports by refugees. They can also use the money to help with the host family's living expenses, although this is not required.

Living allowances are already distributed in certain towns, but not all. As a result, there are regional variations. You might inquire with the municipality to see if a living allowance is already available in the city where you are staying is already available. When a Ukrainian refugee earns money through work, he or she will no longer get a living allowance. The living allowance is individual. If one member of the family starts working, it is unlikely that this will have any negative implications for one's family's financial allowances.

Medical support
Ukrainian refugees' medical expenses will be covered.
You may use web services like Google Maps to locate your nearest GP, or you can use specialized services that are particularly tailored to locate your local doctor. Simply input your zip code and then click on the pin to learn more about the practice, including the clinic's website and phone number. Please bear in mind that, because of COVID-19 and other factors, not all offices will take new patients. You can, however, join a waiting list, which is updated monthly.

You must give proof of your identity (passport, ID card, etc.) and your BSN (your personal identification number) throughout the registration procedure. Patients are usually asked for their health insurance numbers as well. This is not essential, however, for Ukrainian refugees. Instead, your doctor's office should apply to a specific fund to pay for the cost of your care. Importantly, only the most essential medical services are covered. This includes:

• Visits and treatments by a general practitioner
• Pharmaceuticals
• Hospital care and other medical care, operations and treatments performed by doctors and physicians, such as surgeons, pediatricians, cardiologists and oncologists.
• Physiotherapy (only for some chronic conditions)
• Dental care (until the age of 18)
• Pregnancy and birth care
• Emergency transport
• and others that may be specified by the doctor

When you come to the Netherlands you can either stay with friends or family (no visa/Temporary protection status needed), or stay at a government facility (with a Temporary protection status request).
Governmental and private housing initiatives for refugees: https://www.refugeehelp.com/get-help/category/housing
EL*C has created a lesbian hosting network of individuals who have made their apartments and spare rooms available for Ukrainian refugees. Please notice that EL*C can provide you with a temporary solution (up to a few months). Contact the relocation team at: +48 571 944 400 and info@lesbiangenius.org.

Other organisations providing help with housing (please notice that these contacts are not verified by us).

Facebook group Oekraïne vluchtelingen NL
Takecarebnb (for asylum seekers - people can offer hosting)
People for People - led by Dutch tech companies
https://www.refugeehelp.nl/get-help/category/housing
Ukrainian Support
Supporting Ua Friends

Daycare
Children of Ukrainian refugees between 0 and 4 years old can attend a day care center. There may be costs associated with this, please contact the local authority where you reside.

School for children from Ukraine
Children who have fled Ukraine have the same right to education as any other kid, and they are required to attend school from the age of 5 to the age of 18, just like Dutch children. Any school can be contacted by parents to enroll their children. The school will then determine if the child may be admitted or if they first need to enroll in a transition program to strengthen their language skills. Be aware that there is still a lot of ambiguity among schools regarding how they should treat Ukrainian pupils at present.

Ukrainian refugees can temporarily travel free of charge on public transport in the Netherlands with their travel document. For train travelers: if you show a Ukrainian ID and a German, Belgian, French or Austrian train ticket which is not more than 24 hours old, you can get a 1-day ticket at the Tickets and Service counters of NS (railway company). After arriving in the Netherlands you can travel for free by bus, tram or metro if you show a Ukrainian passport or ID. If the access gates at a train station are closed, you can go to the service desk for a free 1-day ticket.

Starting April 1st, 2022 Ukrainian refugees who wish to work as employees are exempt from needing a work visa, which allows them to find work more simply and swiftly. As a result, the employer is not required to apply for a work permit. Employers, on the other hand, must notify the UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) as quickly as possible if they have recruited a Ukrainian refugee. Refugees from Ukraine who worked between March 4th and April 1st, 2022 don't need their employer to apply for a work visa either. Nonetheless, the employer must notify the UWV as quickly as possible.

Important! At the moment, these rules only apply to people with Ukrainian nationality. People with another nationality fleeing from Ukraine can only work in the Netherlands if they have received proof from the IND that they fall under the Temporary Protection arrangement. It is expected that this process will start from mid-May.

Several initiatives are available for refugees focusing on work & internships (NOT VERIFIED).

• Refugee Start Force
• Refugee Talent Hub
• UAtalents
• UAF
• Banen voor Oekraïners (Jobs for Ukrainians)

The Netherlands has been one of the most progressive countries in the world in terms of LGBT+ rights. Marrying and adopting children is legal in the Netherlands, therefore the country generally recognizes same-sex registered partnerships concluded in other countries. However, if you are willing to marry in the Netherlands, please keep in mind that at least one of the spouses must be a Dutch citizen or be an official resident in the Netherlands.

Same-sex adoption was legalized alongside same-sex marriage in 2001, which includes joint and stepchild adoption. The Dutch Parliament also began allowing same-sex couples to adopt children overseas in 2009. Lesbian couples can get access to IVF treatment, as well as parentage rights for their children. Assisted insemination in case of infertility is covered by health insurance, whether concerning single women, opposite-sex couples, or lesbian couples. IVF treatments are also covered by basic insurance (three complete IVF treatments).
Altruistic surrogacy is legal in the Netherlands. Commercial surrogacy is illegal, regardless of sexual orientation.

Since 2014, the Dutch government allows transgender people to change their gender on birth certificates and other official papers without having to undergo sterilization or sex reassignment surgery. Furthermore, transgender individuals are permitted to serve openly in the military.
The state is considering removing gender indicators from official identification documents from 2025.

A gender X birth certificate is available to all non-binary people. In December 2021, a court decision removed the requirement for non-binary people to be certified by a psychologist in order to use the X gender marking in passports.

Lesbian organization

Stichting OndersteBoven (based in Amsterdam)

LGBTI refugee organizations

Sehaq Queer Refugees Group offers support and connections to LGBTI refugees. Contact via their Facebook or Instagram pages.

LGBTI+ Asylum Support
LGBT Asylum Support is a Dutch NGO supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI+) asylum-seekers and refugees in the Netherlands. The organization links LGBTI+ asylum-seekers and refugees to other Dutch organizations, defends the rights of LGBTI+ asylum-seekers and refugees, and provides guidance and social support. Contact info@lgbtasylumsupport.nl.

Transgender Network Netherlands

GENERAL ORGANIZATIONS HELPING UKRAINIANS FLEEING THE WAR

Red Cross NL
https://www.rodekruis.nl/english-information/

Stichting Ukrainians in NL
Stichting Ukrainians in NL provides humanitarian aid for Ukrainians in the Netherlands. For questions, you can call their hotline: +31 10 200-56-61. The hotline is available from 09:00 till 18:00. Go to site »

OpenEmbassy
Whatsapp / Telegram / Signal: +31 6 42962696
Email: oekraine@openembassy.nl
App: Welcome App
Facebook: www.facebook.nl/openembassynl
Insta: @openembassy

• answers to practical and legal questions
• network of Ukrainian Dutch people
• network of other experienced Dutch people
• accessible mental healthcare
• temporary housing
• contact with and information about family and friends in the home country

Facebook group Oekraïne vluchtelingen NL
This Facebook group is intended to put Ukrainian refugees in touch with Dutch people who want to help. This can mean helping in different ways, donating items, volunteering, and other initiatives.

Help outside Ukraine

You can contact the Ukrainian Diaspora (not verified). If you are a Ukrainian refugee and are seeking accommodation in the Netherlands, email ua.refugees.in.nl@gmail.com. Include your name, surname, contact information (phone number, email, etc.), gender and age in the email. If you represent a group of refugees, provide the indicated information for all members of your group in a single request.

If you are bringing pets with you, please bring the pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible. The visit is free and will include a health check and vaccinations if necessary. It is also advised to have your pet chipped and registered.

If you need assistance with your pets, please contact the Hulp voor Dieren uit Oekraïne hotline at +31 88 811 33 33 (open 09:00–17:00), or via email at info@hulpvoordierenuitoekraïne.nl.
For urgent medical help for your pet, contact the Animal Ambulance.