Residence permit in Ukraine

1) A residence permit in Ukraine is a document confirming the right to reside in the territory of Ukraine.

2) There are two types of residence permit — temporary and permanent.

3) The validity period of the residence permit:

• temporary permit is valid from 6 months to 3 years,
• permanent — 10 years.

Both varieties can be renewed an unlimited number of times if there are appropriate grounds.

Detailed information on temporary and permanent residence permit in Ukraine, namely: grounds for obtaining, list of documents, procedure for obtaining, cost, validity period, etc., can be obtained at the following links:

• a temporary residence permit in Ukraine
• a permanent residence permit in Ukraine

What is included in the service for issuing a residence permit:

• Consultations on obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine
• Choosing the basis and type of residence permit in Ukraine
• Preparation of documents and applications for obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine
• Payment of state duty and other official payments
• Representation of interests and support when submitting documents to the Migration Service
• Assistance in obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine

Residence permit for foreigners in Ukraine — what is it?

There are two types of residence permit in Ukraine — permanent and temporary.

Both documents are an identity card and confirm the foreigner's right to reside in Ukraine.

The main difference is in the terms of validity of the document:

• permanent — 10 years;
• temporary — from 6 months to 3 years.

The first step in obtaining a permanent residence permit is the registration of a permit to immigrate to Ukraine, which is issued for a period of 1 year. The second step is to submit, within this year, documents for the issuance of a permanent residence permit in Ukraine.

The certificate itself will be valid for 10 years from the date of issue, with the possibility of further extending it an unlimited number of times for another 10 years.

A more detailed list of differences can be found in the comparison table below.

What is the difference between a permanent residence permit in Ukraine and a temporary one?

*in some cases, it is issued for the period of validity of the documents that are the basis for obtaining a permit, which can be more than 3 years.

What are the rights and obligations of foreigners who have received a residence permit in Ukraine?

The Constitution of Ukraine provides that foreigners who are legally present on the territory of Ukraine enjoy the same rights and freedoms and perform the same duties as citizens of Ukraine, but there are exceptions.

Here are some of them:

• for employment in Ukraine, foreigners (except those with a permanent residence permit) must obtain a work permit;
• regardless of whether a foreigner has a temporary permit, a permanent one, or if one is here on other legal grounds, restrictions on political rights apply: it is impossible to participate in elections, referenda, hold certain positions in state bodies, etc.;
• foreigners are not required to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Regardless of their status, the main duty of foreigners in Ukraine is to comply with the laws of Ukraine. Foreigners are responsible for violations of these laws in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine.

How to get a residence permit for foreigners in Ukraine?

The requirements for a foreigner applicant when obtaining a permanent and temporary permit differ significantly. Below is a generalized list of requirements that a foreigner must meet in order to obtain a permit, a kind of checklist, by completing all the points of which you can expect to receive a positive result.

Therefore, in order to obtain a residence permit in Ukraine, you must meet the following requirements:

1. A foreigner must be in Ukraine on legal grounds (we will explain what legal grounds are below);

2. A foreigner must have appropriate grounds for obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine. (see the full list of reasons for obtaining a permanent permit — here, for a temporary one — here);

3. A foreigner must not have an outstanding criminal record on the territory of Ukraine;

For certain categories, you also need to confirm:

4. Absence of a criminal record in the country of citizenship;

5. Absence of infectious and drug-related diseases;

If you meet all the above points, congratulations, you have the right to apply for a residence permit in Ukraine!

What are the deadlines for obtaining a residence permit for foreigners in Ukraine?

The legislation of Ukraine stipulates that the maximum terms of proceedings for applications for:

• obtaining a permit card for temporary or permanent residence in Ukraine — up to 15 working days;
• obtaining an immigration permit, which precedes the issuance of a permanent residence permit — up to 1 year.

One of the requirements for obtaining a residence permit is to stay in Ukraine on legal grounds — what does that mean?

The Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons" specifies that foreigners who have entered Ukraine in accordance with the procedure established by law and permanently or temporarily reside on its territory, or temporarily stay in Ukraine, are legally present on the territory of Ukraine.

Next, we will consider in more detail what permanent/temporary residence and temporary stay in the territory of Ukraine are.

• Permanent residents of Ukraine are foreigners who immigrated to Ukraine and received a permanent residence permit on the basis of an immigration permit, or who were recognized as refugees in Ukraine or granted asylum in Ukraine, and who received refugee status.
• Temporary residents in Ukraine are foreigners and stateless persons who have received a temporary residence permit.
• Temporarily staying in Ukraine — foreigners and stateless persons who stay in Ukraine during the validity of the visa or for the period established by the legislation (90 days within 180 days), or if the period of their stay in the territory of Ukraine is extended in accordance with the established procedure (stamp of the Migration Service on extension of stay).