Millions of refugees from Ukraine have been forced to settle abroad for more than a year and a half, and they face many legal problems along the way. Find out more about the issues that Ukrainian refugees most often turn to lawyers with

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The war in Ukraine has forced millions of people to travel abroad and seek temporary protection in different parts of the world. And despite the fact that many countries offer good conditions for refugees from Ukraine, Ukrainians often face a number of issues that require the help of qualified lawyers.

That's why we decided to ask the Visit Ukraine team of lawyers who help Ukrainians abroad what problems refugees who have temporarily left Ukraine most often face.

If you need help from qualified specialists on migration issues, entry rules, paperwork, or obtaining certain permits outside of Ukraine, you can order a consultation or full support on the Visit Ukraine website. Our qualified lawyers can help you with any issues in Ukraine and abroad.

Translation of documents and apostille

One of the most common problems of Ukrainians abroad is the official translation of documents into foreign languages. After all, important technical, legal, or medical texts with many terms require that the work be done at a high level. In addition, in everyday life, Ukrainians often need to translate personal documents, such as passports, driver's licenses, certificates, and certificates.

In this case, it is extremely important to contact a qualified translation company, as inaccuracies made by the translator during the work may lead to negative consequences.

It is also quite common practice to have documents certified by an apostille, as this is the main mechanism for ensuring international recognition of documents issued in Ukraine. An apostille confirms the authenticity of a notary's and/or translator's signature and gives the document legal force abroad.

Only after this procedure, documents will be internationally recognized in the countries that have signed the Hague Convention. However, for countries that have not signed the Hague Convention, a document legalization procedure is required. During the legalization process, the documents are checked by the authorities, and then a special stamp is affixed to them, which confirms their legality.

Divorce abroad

The issue of divorce is always relevant, as is marriage registration. And, unfortunately, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the problem of preserving marriage relations has become most acute, as families have to be separated for a long period and long distances.

According to Article 49 of the Civil Code of Ukraine, divorce is an act of civil status and must be registered and entered in the State Register of Civil Status Acts. And if the persons are in Ukraine, the procedure for divorce is quite clear, but if both persons or one of them is abroad, it may raise many questions.

According to the law, if the marriage was registered in Ukraine, then its dissolution procedure must take place in Ukraine. However, each case must be considered individually, and therefore divorce abroad is, unfortunately, also a very common problem among Ukrainians abroad.

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Change of residence in Germany

Ukrainians often ask our lawyers about the possibility of changing their place of residence in Germany. When obtaining temporary protection in Germany, a person cannot change his or her place of residence on his or her own, as he or she is assigned to one of the Länder and municipalities. However, if there is a good reason (work elsewhere, obtaining housing), a change of residence is quite possible with the prior approval of the local migration office.

Work abroad for Ukrainian refugees

The war has played a key role in the departure of people of all ages from Ukraine. If earlier the vast majority of migrants were from Western Ukraine, now the number from the central and eastern regions has increased. More and more Ukrainians are trying to find work in the country of temporary residence. Citizens of Ukraine have the right to work either as employees or as self-employed persons, but each case has its own nuances.

And in this matter, a significant problem for Ukrainians abroad is the lack of familiarity with the country's legislation, and, accordingly, vulnerability to various kinds of fraudsters to whom Ukrainians turn for help when looking for work.

In which countries you can get protection again

Another common question that Ukrainians ask our lawyers is the possibility of obtaining temporary protection again, because not all countries allow this. However, the laws of some countries state that Ukrainians can obtain temporary protection again after obtaining protection in another country.

For example, Croatia provides for the possibility of obtaining repeated protection, for which you can apply online, but only after receiving a refusal from the initial one. In Germany, the issue of obtaining temporary protection can be decided again at the level of local municipalities. Spain accepts Ukrainians after temporary protection in other countries. Romania does not refuse temporary protection if a person has already enjoyed asylum in another EU country. And Portugal is one of the countries where temporary protection can be granted regardless of previous asylum in another country.

However, these are not all the problems that Ukrainians face abroad, as each country has its own rules and laws that cause certain difficulties for refugees from Ukraine. And if you also need legal assistance, don't hesitate to contact Visit Ukraine specialists! 

We remind you! An accident can happen at the most unexpected moment, both on the way to work and while traveling. However, people experience even more stress when they get into an accident outside their home country. Read how to act in the event of a road accident abroad and how to receive compensation in our previous article.

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