A foreigner has the right to acquire the status of an electronic resident after submitting an application through the uResidency information system. Find out who can apply and what is required

Legal assistance in starting and doing business in Ukraine

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The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine has announced the launch of an e-residency program called uResidency, which provides foreign citizens with the opportunity to do business in Ukraine remotely. 

The first users of the new service were citizens of Slovenia, India, Pakistan, and Thailand. In the future, citizens of other countries will join the program.

Read more about this program and why it is needed here.

How to apply for e-residency status?

The procedure for obtaining e-residency status is as simple as possible. 

To become an e-resident of Ukraine, it is enough to apply through the application or on the uResidency portal. The application process takes 5 to 10 minutes, after which the application is promptly verified and the applicant receives a qualified electronic signature (QES) at the consulate, without the need for a physical visit to Ukraine. 

After that, it is possible to register an individual entrepreneur online, and all further interactions with government agencies will be automatic.

According to Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology, Minister of Digital Transformation, the new e-residency system provides foreign entrepreneurs with the most convenient conditions for registering and doing business. 

“This is a turnkey business, fast, without paperwork and bureaucracy, from anywhere in the world,” he emphasized.

One of the key advantages of the program is the automation of accounting and tax payments. For example, the bank independently calculates taxes, submits declarations, and takes care of all the bureaucratic work, freeing the entrepreneur from the need to physically interact with government agencies. The tax rate for e-residents is only 5%, and all costs for lawyers and accountants are minimized, as the system automatically performs all the necessary functions.

According to the Tax Code of Ukraine (TCU), a foreigner who has reached the age of 18, is not a tax resident of Ukraine, has received the relevant qualified electronic trust services and whose information is entered into the E-Resident information system may become an electronic resident (e-resident).

For detailed instructions on how to obtain a qualified electronic signature (QES) in Ukraine, please follow the link.

According to the Tax Code, a foreigner's application for e-residency status is equivalent to a personal submission of a taxpayer's registration card and an application for registration in the State Register of Individual Taxpayers to the relevant controlling authority.

Who can apply for e-resident status?

E-residency is open to specialists in software development, gaming, educational technologies, media, creative industry, marketing, translation, web design, sales, law, project management, communications, and other fields. To wit:

– The head of the company;

– an authorized person on behalf of the company indicated in the Unified State Register;

– a representative of the company by power of attorney.

This service is currently available for citizens of Slovenia, India, Pakistan, and Thailand.

What are the terms of application consideration?

The application will be sent to the Ministry of Digital Transformation. The applicant will receive a notification of its acceptance by e-mail. The Ministry of Digital Transformation considers the application and the documents attached to it within 10 business days. If the applicant does not receive a response within this time, the company will automatically be granted the status of a Diia.City resident. Decisions of the Ministry of Digital Transformation on returning the application without consideration, granting or refusing to grant the Diia.City resident status to the applicant, and substantiated explanations to them are sent by e-mail.

After obtaining the e-resident status, foreigners will have the right to register as individual entrepreneurs in Ukraine, open bank accounts and conduct their business online. The mechanism for paying taxes and reporting for e-residents is also convenient: it will be done by the Ukrainian bank where the e-resident has a current account.

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Who cannot participate in the uResidency program?

The Tax Code stipulates that e-residents cannot be

– citizens of Ukraine;

– foreigners who have the right to permanent residence in Ukraine or are tax residents of Ukraine

– stateless persons;

– persons receiving income originating in Ukraine for goods, works, services (except for passive income);

– persons who are citizens, residents or persons whose place of permanent residence (stay, registration) is in states (jurisdictions) not included in the List of states covered by the program.

The list of states whose citizens or residents cannot obtain the status of an e-resident includes the states that are aggressors against Ukraine, high-risk FATF states, and states identified by the European Commission as countries with weak regimes for preventing and combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and financing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

If you need assistance with participation in the uResidency program or obtaining a qualified electronic signature, please contact Visit Ukraine's qualified lawyers for advice. Our specialists can advise you on any issues related to starting and running a business in Ukraine, help you with the collection and submission of documents, as well as registering a company in the country.

To sign up for a written or online consultation, as well as to receive full legal support, please follow the link.

We remind you! Despite the war, business in Ukraine continues to develop, and not only Ukrainians, but also foreigners who open companies contribute to this. Read more about the benefits and risks of starting a business in Ukraine in our previous article.

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

Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

If you want to start your own business in Ukraine, you can get advice from my colleagues.
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