German authorities have inserted thousands of names of ex-Ukrainian inmates into the Schengen Information System (SIS), leading to blanket entry refusals at EU borders, Die Welt revealed yesterday. One high-profile case is Yuliia Hetman, who fled Russian-occupied Mariupol only to be turned away at the Polish frontier despite having family in Germany. A German SIS alert, based on a Ukrainian list of 3,738 former prisoners handed to Europol, automatically blocks her – and anyone else on the list – from entering any Schengen state.
Critics argue the measure criminalises war victims and violates EU proportionality rules. Because SIS alerts do not disclose underlying evidence, affected individuals struggle to challenge the ban or even learn the reason. German MPs from the Greens and FDP are demanding transparent criteria and individual risk assessments instead of blanket-blacklisting. Human-rights groups warn the policy could undermine Germany’s efforts to attract Ukrainian tech talent under its new Skilled-Immigration Act.
![‘Schengen’s Blind Spot’: Former Ukrainian Prisoners Face German-Triggered EU Entry Bans]()
Companies and individual travellers trying to navigate these shifting entry restrictions can streamline their preparations through VisaHQ, an online visa and passport facilitation service. Its dedicated Germany page (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) provides real-time Schengen updates, SIS pre-screening tools and personalised guidance, helping applicants and HR teams spot potential red flags before they reach the border.
For corporate mobility teams the issue is a hidden compliance trap: candidates with minor pre-war convictions may suddenly be barred from onboarding in Germany, derailing project timelines. Immigration counsel advise running advance SIS checks and building contingency staffing plans – especially for roles sourced from Ukraine.
The Interior Ministry says it is ‘reviewing the database in cooperation with EU partners’ but offers no timeline for corrective action. Until then, mobility managers must assume that SIS alerts are final at the border and prepare for last-minute rerouting or remote-work alternatives.
Critics argue the measure criminalises war victims and violates EU proportionality rules. Because SIS alerts do not disclose underlying evidence, affected individuals struggle to challenge the ban or even learn the reason. German MPs from the Greens and FDP are demanding transparent criteria and individual risk assessments instead of blanket-blacklisting. Human-rights groups warn the policy could undermine Germany’s efforts to attract Ukrainian tech talent under its new Skilled-Immigration Act.
Companies and individual travellers trying to navigate these shifting entry restrictions can streamline their preparations through VisaHQ, an online visa and passport facilitation service. Its dedicated Germany page (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) provides real-time Schengen updates, SIS pre-screening tools and personalised guidance, helping applicants and HR teams spot potential red flags before they reach the border.
For corporate mobility teams the issue is a hidden compliance trap: candidates with minor pre-war convictions may suddenly be barred from onboarding in Germany, derailing project timelines. Immigration counsel advise running advance SIS checks and building contingency staffing plans – especially for roles sourced from Ukraine.
The Interior Ministry says it is ‘reviewing the database in cooperation with EU partners’ but offers no timeline for corrective action. Until then, mobility managers must assume that SIS alerts are final at the border and prepare for last-minute rerouting or remote-work alternatives.
