Frankfurt Data dump

[RnJ2021 59]

The US Consulate wrote in response to my inquiry about missing police certificate saying it could be waived. They did ask Jenny to try to get one at the consulate. We went and it is impossible. The database is off-line. When you consider cyber warfare, it makes sense to take any comprehensive database of Ukrainians off line. 

I will update this post as I get more information. Germany has created many provisions for Ukrainians.
Good overview here. You should review every section that applies to your situation.
https://www.germany4ukraine.de/hilfeportal-en

Travel on trains and buses is free to Ukrainians throughout Germany.

Lodging is expensive. Jenny and  I ended up at Panorama Hostel,  Mainzer Landstr. 341, Gallusviertel, 60326. 950 Euro for a double room for a month. Shared kitchen facilities and a smoking room in the facility. It is in a good area. panoramahostel.eu; PANORAMAFRANKFURT@GMAIL.COM +49 152 25649080 . They are on Wattsapp. Only one staff member speaks good English so email or Wattsapp is best. 

 

Coordination center for Ukrainians is Mainzer Landstr. 293. An easy walk from the hostel. 

Both are on the 11,14 streetcar (S-Bahn) lines. Free to Ukrainians and apparently free for 4 stops or less for everyone else. When you exit the front of the Hauptbahbhoff, cross over and take the cars going to the left. A day pass is 2.75 but you do not need it if you are just going to the coordination center. I don't know if it also applies to the U-Bahn (subway)

 

If your Ukrainian needs housing assistance, they will send them back to the Hauptbahnhoff. (No need to go to the Coordination Center). Go the Refugee Intake indicated in the top left of the map. We started down this process in error (on the recommendation of a helpful Lithuanian). After processing (receiving a laminated document) Jenny was taken to an intake center at Messe Frankfurt where everyone is on cots. Food is provided. It is austere, but a lot better than any of the frontline cities. They told her after three days she would be taken to a similar facility in Giessen and there she would receive assistance with requesting the remaining documents.

Realizing our mistake she left the center - they told her that  she could return with her current pass. Now there are a few paths:

If you are going to stay longer than 90 days or you want to work, then you want to get a temporary residence permit. this is the process that you initiate at Mainzer Landstr. 293. A reservation is required but I misplaced the phone number.

In Jenny's case, we hope she will be there less than 90 days. We will simply register her presence in the city at the city hall. Your Ukrainian will do this in the city in which they end up residing.
Stadt Frankfurt am Main | Bürgeramt Höchst
Dalbergstraße 14, 65929 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Phone is +49 69 115 ???
reservations are required. I guess government offices get special speed codes.

We also want her to have health insurance (free). She applies for that just to the right of Mainzer Landstr. 293 (295?) we will try to do both tomorrow. Other social services are also available there.

 

I highlight Rossman on the Hauptbahnhoff map. A sundries and food store. Google maps calls it Ali and says it is open 24 hours. It is not - 6-22 7 days a week. Almost anything you need.

Pepper spray and tasers are apparently permitted for self defense, We will confirm. I think Germany is a very safe country, but situations like this bring out the best in the vast majority of people, but the worst in some people. 

A German couple approached Jenny and offered her housing and a job as a domestic. She declined but it was a good experience. I think that as long as they agree to help your Ukrainian register at Mainzer Landstr293  (work permission).  Burgeramt (local residence), and for medical care, it would be fine. 

 

Public toilets are paid. 1 or .5 Euro Deposit coins, grab any change, and hustle through the opening gate. You can ignore the receipt that is printed. At Haupbahnhoff, they are downstairs near track 10. there is also a free location to wash hands down there. 

Jenny's PrivatBank dollar card worked fine in EC GeldAutomat and at a couple of other retail  locations we tried. 

 

I will be here another week or so. Post your Frankfurt questions here and I will try to find out.  

Edited March 23, 2022 by RnJ2021
More information

[TBoneTX 45,598]

I have no personal dog in this fight, but thank you for your thoughtful, detailed post that will surely help many.

[RnJ2021 59]

When Jenny arrived, volunteers gave her a SIM card for Germany good for one month. It is rechargeable.

Bolt is very common and inexpensive. UBER is neither.

I have my Wise card on Bolt for me and Jenny. IIRC, I had AMEX on it in the past.

 

More on registration/medical:

After a little back and forth, this is what I understand:

If you are not applying for temporary residence, you will not get any medical documentation. If you are sick or injured, go to any medical provider. For Ukrainians, they will bill any charges back to the state. You can register for Bergeramt on 4th Floor, Mainzer Landstr. 293. One of the people on 5th floor said that he notified them to give Jenny a call for an appointment.. For our situation, we do not need any documents from Germany. 

[chivaschivas 33]

Thank you so much for all the info!
Glad to see that Frankfurt agreed to waive some documents and that Germany in general set up some sort of system for us.

 

Have you started preparing for medical at all? Does your partner have their her card on her?

Also, how is the situation looking re: interview dates? I'm in Paris currently trying to see if going to Frankfurt would actually be a quicker way to get the visa.

Our petition is headed to NVC, not sure if the whole process will be wrapped up before my 90 days are done. I've been here for almost two months.

[RnJ2021 59]

A little more on medical. Jenny jumped the gun on her Spring wardrobe and got a chill/throat infection. After spending the afternoon running around, we ended up at the University of Frankfurt Medical School. It is apparently open 24/7. Go to any emergency room for a true emergency. Go here for anything else, unless you have another local provider. Go to building 1, North side near the streetcar stop, for intake. The first person we talked to did not understand the program for Ukrainians. Her supervisor explained that there is a special insurance code for Ukrainians which they found. The care was fast and efficient. A bacteriological infection. The pharmacist  at Hauptbahnhoff knew to look for the Ukrainian code. It took him a few minutes to find it.

 

Actually, for a true emergency, call an ambulance. Germany is like Ukraine in which ambulances have a doctor and are the first line of triage for medical problems. 

 

Go to building 1 for intake. North side. It is VERY close to the Universitatklinikum streetcar stop. A number of lines go here. Line 21 from Mainzer Strasse/Hauptbahnhoff. Line 21 also goes to 293 Mainzer Strasse. The antibiotic was free, there was a 5 Euro charge for the painkiller drops. Perhaps these are over the counter.

 

Two days later and my throat is still fine!

Edited March 27, 2022 by RnJ2021
more info

[RnJ2021 59]

A word on Sundays. Almost all retail establishments are closed. I checked Hauptbahnhoff: Rossman/Pharmacy were open. Long lines. Remember that these are downstairs out the front of the station.

[RnJ2021 59]

Danger - across from HBF slightly off to the left.

[RnJ2021 59]

Update on Medical - I was wrong about the all-hours intake center. Go straight to the containers for emergency room during normal hours. English ability is indifferent, so you may have to insist to get through for routine medical. I think it is OK for Ukrainians. 

 

[RnJ2021 59]

On 3/24/2022 at 1:27 PM, RnJ2021 said:

. You can register for Bergeramt on 4th Floor, Mainzer Landstr. 293. One of the people on 5th floor said that he notified them to give Jenny a call for an appointment.. For our situation, we do not need any documents from Germany. 

Bergeramt finally called Jenny back. It turns out that you must have confirmation of residence to "get into the system". Hotel's etc. do not count. Medical care works for Jenny, but they always complain that she does not have an insurance card. You cannot get an insurance card if you are not in the system. An annoyance and Jenny is concerned. I'm not. Overall, Germany is doing a fantastic job with this unique situation and the German people are always helpful.

 

Ukrainians can go without registration for 90 days. The current provisions expire on May 23.