Parental allowance for refugees: asylum procedure, protection status, Ukraine
By Felix Böhme, Dipl.-Finanzwirt (FH), graduate in public finance Updated
Whether refugee parents receive German parental allowance (Elterngeld) depends on their residence status. Many refugees are entitled – some immediately, some only after a waiting period or with a job. This page shows what applies to your status.
In short
- With an Aufenthaltsgestattung (asylum procedure ongoing) or a toleration (Duldung) there is no parental allowance – except with a toleration for employment (Beschäftigungsduldung).
- With a residence permit because of war in the home country (section 23(1)), as a hardship case (section 23a) or on humanitarian grounds (section 25(3) to (5)), you receive parental allowance if you are allowed to work and do so, take parental leave or receive unemployment benefit – or after 15 months of stay.
- Minor parents with these permits are always entitled.
- Refugees from Ukraine with a residence permit under section 24 have no longer been excluded since 1 June 2022.
Overview by status
Sections without a named act are sections of the Residence Act (AufenthG).
For all permits: parental allowance is only paid from the month of your child’s life after the permit is issued, unless it is issued on the first day of a month of life. More on Parental allowance and residence permits.
Residence permits under section 23(1) for reasons other than war in the home country, and under section 23(2) or (4) (e.g. admission programmes), are not on the exclusion list. The general rule applies to them: entitlement if the permit allows or allowed you to work for at least six months. For section 23(1) this is not automatic – your permit shows whether you may work.
The 15-month rule
If you hold a residence permit under section 23(1) (war), section 23a or section 25(3) to (5), you also receive parental allowance without a job if you have been in Germany for at least 15 months with permission, authorisation or toleration. Periods with an Aufenthaltsgestattung or Duldung therefore count.
Watch out for interruptions: If your stay was not lawful in between, for example because you had no permit for a while after a toleration, the 15 months start again.
Example: you hold an Aufenthaltsgestattung from January, followed without a gap by a residence permit under section 25(3). From April of the following year you have been in Germany for 15 months. You are then entitled from the next full month of your child’s life, even without a job.
With a job, parental leave or unemployment benefit
With one of these residence permits you are entitled immediately if you
- work lawfully in Germany,
- take parental leave under the BEEG, or
- receive ongoing benefits under Social Code III, especially unemployment benefit.
Parental leave requires an employment relationship. So if you work before the birth and take parental leave afterwards, you are covered. More on parental leave.
Minor parents
If you are under 18 and hold a residence permit under section 23(1) (war), section 23a or section 25(3) to (5), you are always entitled. You need no job, no parental leave and no minimum period of stay.
Ukraine: section 24 and Fiktionsbescheinigung
Holders of a residence permit for temporary protection under section 24 Residence Act have no longer been excluded from parental allowance since 1 June 2022. The general rule applies: entitlement if the residence permit allows or allowed you to work for at least six months. A time limit does not matter.
Have you applied for the section 24 permit but not yet received it? Then you often receive a Fiktionsbescheinigung. Normally a Fiktionsbescheinigung under section 81(3) is not enough. There is an exception for refugees from Ukraine: if the certificate refers to the future issue of a permit under section 24, parental allowance can be granted.
Toleration for employment
A toleration alone is not enough. A toleration for employment (Beschäftigungsduldung) under section 60d Residence Act does qualify for parental allowance. This has applied since 1 January 2020.
Yes, if the other conditions are met. The child must live with you in one household. Living in shared accommodation with meals provided does not prevent this, as long as you otherwise run your daily life independently.
If you were recognised in another EU country
The EU priority rules can apply to recognised refugees and stateless persons. However, refugees living in Germany who have not already been recognised in another EU country are only covered from the month in which their recognition as entitled to asylum or as refugees becomes final. In addition, the EU rules only apply to them if they came to Germany from another EU country or Switzerland, or if a family member lives there. What applies then: Which country pays first?.
Nationals of Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria
For them, an entitlement can also arise from EU agreements without a qualifying permit. This requires lawful residence – a toleration is not enough – and insurance as an employee in social insurance. Recognised child-raising periods in pension insurance can also be sufficient; according to the guidelines, asylum seekers usually do not have them because habitual residence in Germany is missing. Details on Parental allowance and residence permits.
What you should do
- Check your status: Which permit do you have? The legal basis is shown on the permit or certificate.
- Apply in good time: Parental allowance is paid retroactively only for the last three months of your child’s life before the month of application.
- Submit your permit later: If you have applied for a permit, submit the Fiktionsbescheinigung and later the permit.
- Apply for extensions before expiry, so that no month is lost.
The parental allowance office decides in each individual case. Help with the forms: Apply for parental allowance.
FAQ
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Do I get parental allowance while my asylum procedure is ongoing?
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I have a toleration and I work. Do I get parental allowance?
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I am from Ukraine and hold a residence permit under section 24. Am I entitled?
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I am not yet 18. Does anything different apply to me?
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What happens if my stay was interrupted?
Sources and legal basis
Same sources as the German page (`U5_gefluechtete.de.md`). “RL” = Guidelines on the BEEG, as of 07/2026; “p.” = PDF page.
- Overview by status: section 1(7) sentence 1 nos. 2–5, sentence 2 BEEG; sections 4a(1) sentence 1, 23(1), 25(1) and (2) Residence Act (section 25(2) covers refugee status and subsidiary protection; section 23(1): the permit does not entitle to employment unless permitted); section 28(3) BEEG; RL 1.7.2.1 (pp. 68–70), 1.7.2.2.2 (p. 72), 1.7.2.3 (p. 74); RL 28.3 (p. 366).
- 15-month rule, interruption: section 1(7) sentence 1 no. 4 BEEG; RL 1.7.2.2.2 (p. 72).
- Job, parental leave, unemployment benefit: section 1(7) sentence 1 no. 3 BEEG; RL 1.7.2.2.2 (p. 72); parental leave RL 15.1.1.4 (p. 312).
- Minors: section 1(7) sentence 2 BEEG; RL 1.7.2.2.2 (p. 72).
- Ukraine, Fiktionsbescheinigung: RL 1.7.2.1 (p. 70); section 28(3) sentence 3 BEEG; RL 1.7.2.3 (p. 74).
- Toleration for employment: section 1(7) sentence 1 no. 5, section 28(3) sentence 2 BEEG; RL 1.7.2.1 (pp. 68–69).
- Month of life principle: RL 1.7.2.1 (p. 69); RL 28.3 (p. 366).
- Shared accommodation: RL 1.1.1.2.2 (p. 46).
- EU rules for refugees: RL Part II 2.3.2 (p. 394).
- Agreement countries: RL 1.7.2.5, 1.7.2.6 (pp. 74–76).
- Application: section 7(1) BEEG.
Sources checked: November 2026
Read more
As of November 2026.