In February 2022, millions of Ukrainians crossed the border on the basis of an internal passport. Has the situation changed in 2024? Learn more about the rules for leaving and entering Ukraine without a foreign passport

Issuing a policy Green card for traveling abroad by car

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At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, millions of Ukrainians crossed the border on the basis of internal passports. However, during the two years of the war, the rules and requirements were changed and updated. Is it possible to cross the Ukrainian border without a foreign passport in 2024? We will find out further.

Departure from Ukraine without a foreign passport

Back in 2023, Ukraine's neighboring countries returned to common requirements for crossing the Ukrainian border.

Therefore, in 2024, the majority of citizens will travel outside of Ukraine only on the basis of a valid foreign passport. It is possible to leave with internal passports only in certain cases.

● When can a Ukrainian travel abroad with an internal passport?

If a person is traveling from a zone of active hostilities, crosses the border as a refugee and has objective reasons for not being able to quickly renew or issue a foreign passport, then this person, as an exception, may be allowed to cross the border on the basis of an internal passport.

In this case, employees of the Border Guard Service of Ukraine study in detail all the circumstances of departure and consult with representatives of the neighboring country to find out whether they will let a Ukrainian without a foreign passport pass through.

● Can Ukrainian children go abroad solely on the basis of a birth certificate?

In 2024, Ukrainian children have the right to travel abroad based solely on a birth certificate. Such a norm is prescribed in the rules of crossing the border and it was agreed with the border services of the neighboring countries.

Please note! To ensure a safe stay abroad, you should take care of reliable health insurance in advance, which will not only help you maintain your health, but also protect you from unforeseen expenses. You can take out an insurance policy that covers emergency medical care in case of illnesses and accidents, as well as inpatient and outpatient care around the world on the Visit Ukraine website. In addition, on our portal, you can immediately apply for car insurance - the Green Card, which is mandatory in 50 countries, including the EU.

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Return to Ukraine without a foreign passport

In Ukraine, a clear list of documents has been approved, on the basis of which citizens of the country have the right to cross the border: passport of a citizen of Ukraine for traveling abroad, diplomatic passport, official passport, child's travel document (valid for the period for which it is issued), seaman's identity card and certificate crew member

However, if a Ukrainian lost or damaged his passport during his stay abroad, its validity period expired, or it was declared invalid for other reasons, the document that will grant the right to enter Ukraine will be an identity card for returning to Ukraine.

In addition to citizens of Ukraine, this certificate can be obtained by stateless persons who have the right to permanent residence in Ukraine, foreigners who have been recognized as refugees in Ukraine or people who need additional protection.

● How to issue an identity card to return to Ukraine?

Registration and issuance of the certificate takes from 1 to 5 working days.

For this, the applicant submits the following package of documents to the diplomatic institution of Ukraine abroad:

- Application form.

- A document (report, certificate, etc.) issued by a competent body of a foreign state confirming the fact of a person's application regarding the loss or theft of an identity document, confirming Ukrainian citizenship and giving the right to leave Ukraine and enter Ukraine.

- Identity document (if available).

- An identity document confirming the status of a stateless person who has the right to permanent residence in Ukraine (if available).

- Certificate of registration of a person as a citizen of Ukraine (in the case of the birth of a child abroad, whose parents or one of the parents is a citizen of Ukraine and permanently resides in the territory of Ukraine, and in the case when such a child has not been issued with identity documents, confirming the citizenship of Ukraine and /or give the right to leave Ukraine and enter Ukraine).

- Child's birth certificate or a document confirming the fact of birth issued by a competent body of a foreign state (if available).

- Document certifying the identity of the legal representative (in case of submission of documents by the legal representative).

- A document confirming the payment of the consular fee.

The validity period of the certificate for return to Ukraine is 30 days. However, it can be extended in case of illness, accident or other special reasons.

We will remind you! After the introduction of consular restrictions for Ukrainian men, some EU countries allowed citizens to stay without a valid foreign passport, while others said they were ready to facilitate their return home. Look for the position of different states at the link.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance - insurance for a safe stay abroad without unnecessary expenses;

Green Card - compulsory car insurance for traveling abroad;

Visit Ukraine Tickets - book tickets for buses, trains, and airplanes to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world;

Private Lawyer service - professional legal support on visa and migration issues;

Visit Ukraine Merch - buy patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

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