We support refugees in Stuttgart!
FAQ
The most important in a nutshell
You have just arrived in Stuttgart and need some initial orientation help? Please read the following information carefully – especially if you have not yet made a decision for an initial reception center. We primarily provide empirical values here, are in close coordination with the Stuttgart authorities and endeavor to keep them up to date at all times:
How and where will I be accommodated after my arrival? Whom should I contact?
In the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, the general decree applies, which obliges every city and district to accept refugees immediately and directly. Those who arrive during the opening hours of the local district offices / citizens’ offices are accepted immediately and are distributed directly throughout the district.
In Stuttgart, a special initial admission process has been in place since March 1, 2024, which begins with an appointment at the Foreigners’ Registration Office, as described on the associated website.
Currently (as of November 2024), we are having good experiences with the districts of Stuttgart, Esslingen and Rems-Murr. The conditions for admission are currently adequate, and there is usually no distribution in mass accommodation.
Alternatively, and outside the opening hours of the receiving authorities in the districts, the state initial recordings are responsible. These are, among others:
- LEA Karlsruhe:
Durlacher Allee 100, 76139 Karlsruhe - LEA Ellwangen:
Georg-Elser-Straße 2, 73479 Ellwangen (Jagst) - LEA Freiburg:
Lörracher Str. 6, 79115 Freiburg im Breisgau
Wichtig: Die LEAs verteilen nach Quote innerhalb des Bundeslandes. Geflüchtete können nicht entscheiden, in welchen Landkreis sie verteilt werden. Es bietet sich daher an, die direkte Aufnahme (s. o.) anzutreten wenn der Wunsch besteht, in einem bestimmten Landkreis zu verbleiben.
Are refugees allowed to travel for free?
No. As of September 2022, almost all public support has ceased. The “help ukraine” ticket is also no longer issued by Deutsche Bahn in Stuttgart. Exceptions apply only in special cases or official measures, such as cross transfer from other federal states, where tickets are issued to the state initial reception facility.
Are there any free overnight accommodations in Stuttgart?
No. All refugees must make their own plans for temporary accommodation – also to bridge the waiting time for visits to the authorities. The possibility to stay overnight at waiting hall 2 at Stuttgart main station – as in the past until September 2022 – is not possible. We therefore advise all refugees to plan their stay in Stuttgart in good time.
How do I obtain a residence permit?
Refugees from Ukraine usually enter with a special status(§24 Residence Act). They receive a temporary residence permit (fictitious certificate), which entitles them to access the labor market and apply for social benefits at the Job Center. A fictitious certificate is also granted to refugees from other countries, but here without a work permit and only under the Asylum Seekers Act. In principle, a final decision on a residence title should be made in the course of the temporary stay, and refugees should receive their ID in plastic check form. Unfortunately, this does not happen in practice in Stuttgart until today, which causes considerable disadvantages for refugees in terms of applications and travel options. We therefore advise refugees to approach the initial reception outside Stuttgart (see above).
For more relevant info, check out the UAHelp wiki, a very well documented and maintained information platform for refugees and engaged people.
We are here for you!
Welcome to WOLJA! We are a non-profit association that cares for refugees in Stuttgart. We help you with the initial reception and with the new challenges of everyday life after your arrival. We understand that fleeing war, violence and persecution is a huge challenge and that there are often many difficulties when you arrive in a new country. But don’t worry, we’re here and we’ll do our best to welcome you and support you as much as we can. Our members and helpers have extensive language skills in German, Ukrainian, Russian and English, which we use as needed. We are here for you:
In the first appointment
(Arrival Support)
We support refugees in the process of evacuation and admission to initial reception facilities. To this purpose, we work closely with internationally networked partners, including BAS and Rubikus, who coordinate with us the onward journey with the destination or stopover in Stuttgart. Please note the information below:
Evacuation from Ukraine
Our partner Rubikus is networked across Europe and supports refugees in evacuation from any region of Ukraine. A defined target can also be specified here. If you need assistance with evacuation, fill out the appropriate form and include the Telegram username @pavelleonidov as an additional contact. Then we will coordinate your departure and arrival in the Stuttgart region together.
Onward journey from Berlin
In many cases, Berlin is the primary point of contact and connection for people leaving Ukraine. On site, refugees receive support from volunteers from Berlin Arrival Support (BAS). We work closely with BAS and coordinate the onward journey to Stuttgart. In Berlin, the BAS provides support for the changeover for the onward journey to an initial reception center in Baden-Württemberg and, if necessary, contacts us directly. If you need local support in Berlin, it is best to contact BAS directly.
As soon as you arrive in Stuttgart, we will be there to support you and guide you through your next steps. On site, we offer the following support services:
Arrival at Stuttgart main station
The Bahnhofsmission Stuttgart is our cooperation partner and there for you at Gleis 16:
| Monday – Friday | 18 – 21 h |
| Saturday | 14 – 17 h |
| Sundays and holidays | 9 – 21 h |
We work closely with the “Bahnhofsmission” and are on-call on-site. Please contact us in advance if you need support on-site.
Arrival at a bus station
If you arrive at one of the bus stations Airport/Trade Fair (Flughafen / Messe), Kornwestheim, or Zuffenhausen, depending on our available capacity, we can pick you up and accompany you to Stuttgart; in justified exceptional cases, we can also transport to other places in Baden-Württemberg.
Please note that our resources are limited at this time and we are not able to provide a ride in every case.
Initial reception facilities
As described in the FAQ above, the general ruling on direct admission applies in the districts. Please contact us if you need support and we can help you with the initial admission process.
As a language companion during doctor’s visits
You are already accommodated and need interpreter support for official appointments, e.g. doctor’s appointments or an appointment with the authorities? Contact us, we will do our best to assist you with your appointments!
We run the language support group in cooperation with our partner YES! For this purpose, YES! has set up a Telegram platform in which dedicated interpreters can participate.
Please note that we only provide interpreting services on a voluntary basis and cannot provide official translations, such as for identity documents. For this you need to contact the appropriate offices of fee interpreters.
In the care for vulnerable groups
We support and accompany refugee parents and families in childcare and leisure activities. Members of vulnerable groups receive our special care. Our offers:
Support group for parents of children with disabilities.
- Every two weeks
- An open offer, each meeting represents an independent individual. Registration possible at any time.
- Our offer
- Education about different bureaucratic processes with a focus on “disability”.
- Invited experts from different areas of disability care in Stuttgart
- Childcare during the self-help group for single parents (prior registration required).
Play and support group for children with disabilities
- Twice a week
- Relief for parents
- Offers for children in areas: play, movement, creativity, relaxation, language development, logical thinking, everyday life.
- currently no registration possible!
Chat on Telegram for parents of children with disabilities.
- over 100 participants
- Free space for questions and exchange between parents
- News about offers for children with disabilities and their parents
- Information on general questions and processes (e.g. disability certificate, degree of care, education)
Volunteers wanted!
You want to become active and actively support refugees? We are always on the lookout for active comrades-in-arms and look forward to getting to know you!
How it all began
About us
We are “WOLJA“. “Volya” (Ukra. Воля) means “freedom”. Founded immediately after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, WOLJA had established itself as an initiative in the Stuttgart area at the end of February 2022. Our association has made it its mission to support Ukrainian people who have been forced to leave their homeland. We are active in the heart of Baden-Württemberg, in Stuttgart. Our journey began with a simple poster at the Stuttgart train station, which serves to provide arriving refugees with a point of contact for information. From the desire to not only passively watch what was happening, but to be able to act and help, an association with about 100 volunteers was formed within barely two weeks.
As the suffering grew, so did the awareness of the people’s need, which is why our initiative received enormous media attention after only two weeks, with several press reports: among others: on ZDF, SWR, Stuttgarter Nachrichten and others. Add to that our presence on social media (Instagram/Facebook), where we had reached over 2500 followers in a very short time.
In our daily work we cooperate intensively with authorities, similarly oriented organizations and our cooperation partners of the network “ukraine engaged“. In order to coordinate our tasks, we meet regularly with the responsible persons of the social welfare office to discuss the situation at the training campus.
Completed projects
Our team
Executive Board
Vitaliia Kochurova
1st Chair woman
Team Family/Child Care
Pavel Leonidov
2nd Chairman
Team IT + Arrival Support
Natalie Pfost
Treasurer
Team Finances
Extended Board
Florian Schmid
Board Member
Team Finances
Igor Podolskiy
Board Member
Team translations
Volodymyr Vasylyuk
Board Member
Team Family/Child Care
Florian Siegert
Board Member
Social Media Team
Nadiia Lunina
Board Member
Team Family/Child Care
Get in touch with us!
Contact us
Please fill out the form on the right and we will get back to you as soon as possible! Note that our resources are currently limited and you may have to wait.