Information for refugees with disabilities

The following agencies advise and support refugees with disabilities:

• Berlin Network for Particularly Vulnerable Refugees (Berliner Netzwerk für besonders schutzbedürftige geflüchtete Menschen)
• Berlin Center for Self-Determined Living (Berliner Zentrum für selbstbestimmtes Leben e.V.)
• InterAktiv e.V.
• Intercultural counseling center of Lebenshilfe Berlin (Interkulturelle Beratungsstelle der Lebenshilfe Berlin)
• Mina – Life in Diversity (Mina – Leben in Vielfalt e.V.)
• Die Sputniks e.V.

Deaf people can find a list of interpreters and translators who work voluntarily for refugees at www.deafrefugees.de.

In Germany, people who have a severe disability can apply for a Disability Card. The Disability Card will enable you to get help in various areas of daily life. A Ukrainian Disability Card is not valid in Germany.

You can apply for the Disability Card only after you have a right of residence, i.e. you have filled out the corresponding online application.

Firstly, you send your application according to the law for severely disabled persons (Antrag nach dem Schwerbehindertenrecht). Fill it out and send it by mail to:

Landesamt für Gesundheit und Soziales Berlin
(Berlin State Office for Health and Social Affairs)
Versorgungsamt
Postfach 310929
10639 Berlin

Enclose a copy of your identification document and your residence permit (e.g. the certificate you received after filling out the online application form). You will then receive a confirmation of receipt. Current medical findings, discharge reports, expert opinions, etc. are required to further process your application. If these are not available, you will have to visit the relevant doctors or hospitals in Germany. If your documents are not in German, they must be translated and certified – the authorities cannot pay for this, nor can they translate the documents for you.

At the moment, the application procedure usually takes 5 months. After looking at all documents, the Berlin State Office for Health and Social Affairs will give you a ruling on the degree of disability. If your degree of disability is 50 or higher you will receive a Disability Card

In Berlin, people with disabilities can use the transport service BerlMobil. However, you will need a special number for this. You will receive the number with your Disability Card. If you need a wheelchair or a walker, you can use the service even if your application for a Disability Card has not yet been completed. To do so, fill out this application and mail it to:

Landesamt für Gesundheit und Soziales Berlin
(Berlin State Office for Health and Social Affairs)
Versorgungsamt
Postfach 310929
10639 Berlin

You will then receive your special number. Here you can get more information about the transport service BerlMobil.