Those who already live in Slovakia with the status dočasné útočisko (temporary shelter), can relax: nothing changes for you. But newly arrived men of conscription age will have to answer a new question: whether they left Ukraine legally.
On July 30, 2026, the EU Council officially approved the extension of temporary protection for Ukrainians for another year, until March 4, 2028. The political agreement was given by EU country ambassadors on July 15, and the formal decision was made by written procedure. The document will be published soon in the Official Journal of the EU and will come into force.
Who the new condition affects
Along with the extension, EU countries finally approved an innovation. It concerns a narrow group of people: Ukrainian citizens of military conscription age who apply for temporary protection for the first time in any EU country.
To get the status, these newly arrived people will need to prove one of two things:
they fulfilled their military obligations;
they left Ukraine legally.
As confirmation, they will accept, among other things, a stamp in the foreign passport about legal border crossing issued by Ukrainian authorities, or a paper or electronic document about deferment, exemption from mobilization, or fulfillment of other requirements of military registration legislation, reports EU Neighbours East.
Simply put: if a man left abroad legally, with permission, deferment, or after exemption from service, he will have no problems. Questions will arise for those who cannot show any document.
Who the changes DO NOT affect
The new rules do not apply to Ukrainians who already have temporary protection status in one of the EU countries, including Slovakia.
Your status will be extended automatically until 2028. Without additional conditions, without checking military documents, and without reapplying. Nothing needs to be done.
The condition also does not apply to women, children, and men who are not of military conscription age.
Why the EU took this step
The EU Council explained the decision as a balance of two needs. On one hand, to continue protecting people who fled the war. On the other, to consider the “legal needs of Ukraine” in its ability to defend itself against Russian aggression.
The scale of the program is huge: as of the end of May 2026, 4.38 million people used temporary protection in EU countries. Slovakia remains one of the countries where Ukrainians receive this status, so the decision directly affects tens of thousands of people living here.
What to do now
If you already have dočasné útočisko (temporary shelter) in Slovakia, then nothing. Your status will be valid until March 4, 2028, and no new documents need to be submitted.
If your relatives or acquaintances are only planning to leave, warn them: men of military conscription age should take care of documents in advance. This can be a certificate of deferment, exemption, or other confirmation of legal border crossing. Without this, getting temporary protection in the EU will be difficult.
More details about who may be denied status are described in the EU Neighbours East article. And if you have a complicated situation with documents, it is better to consult a lawyer before applying.
