Foreigners residing in Ukraine are required to officially register their place of residence. We will tell you in detail about the current rules: when declaration and registration are required, what documents and information are needed, where to apply and how the procedure works

Legal assistance for foreigners in Ukraine

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Temporary registration in Ukraine is an important procedure for foreigners who plan to stay in the country for a long time. This process not only facilitates legal stay in the country, but also provides access to various public services. In this article, we will take a closer look at how a foreigner can register his or her residence in Ukraine.

For instructions on how a foreigner can pay utility bills for an apartment in Ukraine, click here.

Legal framework: what laws regulate the registration of foreigners in Ukraine?

On December 1, 2021, the Law of Ukraine dated November 5, 2021, No. 1871-IX "On the Provision of Public (Electronic Public) Services for Declaring and Registering the Place of Residence in Ukraine" (hereinafter - Law No. 1871-IX) came into force, which regulates relations in the field of providing public (electronic public) services for declaring and registering the place of residence (stay) of individuals in Ukraine, and establishes a new procedure for the provision of such services in terms of their digitalization.

In order to implement the provisions of Law No. 1871-IX, on February 7, 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted Resolution No. 265 "Certain Issues of Declaration and Registration of Residence and Maintenance of Registers of Territorial Communities" (effective as of March 14, 2022), which approved, inter alia, the Procedure for Declaration and Registration of Residence (Stay).

The provisions of Law No. 1871-IX, in particular, introduce new terms such as "declaration of a person's place of residence" and "registration action".

Declaration vs. registration of a person's place of residence: what is the difference?

The main difference between declaring and registering a place of residence lies in the form and procedure of their implementation:

1. Declaration of residence: this is the process of submitting an electronic declaration of residence through the Unified State Web Portal of Electronic Services (read here how a foreigner can use the Diia portal). This form of declaration is possible mainly for privately owned housing or in case of living in a dormitory, if the consent of the authorized person in charge of the dormitory is provided.

2. Registration of a place of residence: this is a procedure that involves submitting an application in paper form to a registration authority or through an administrative service center. Registration includes entering information about the person's place of residence in the register of the territorial community and is possible for housing of any form of ownership.

When does a foreigner need to obtain a registration of residence in Ukraine?

A citizen of Ukraine residing in Ukraine, as well as a foreigner or stateless person who legally resides permanently or temporarily in Ukraine, must declare or register their new place of residence (stay) within 30 calendar days after arriving at the new place of residence (stay).

In other words, a foreigner or stateless person is obliged to declare or register their place of residence and the place of residence of children under the age of 14 (including newborns), whose parents or other legal representatives they are, within 30 calendar days from the date of receipt of a permanent residence permit, temporary residence permit, refugee certificate, certificate of a person in need of additional protection, certificate of a person granted temporary protection, or after leaving the declared or registered place of residence.

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How to submit a declaration of a foreigner's place of residence in Ukraine?

Declaration of residence in Ukraine can be made through the Diia portal by submitting a declaration electronically.

This process requires the following actions and documents:

1. Authentication on the Diia Portal using a digital key (read here how a foreigner can obtain a qualified electronic signature (QES)).

2. Filling out a residence declaration:

The declaration must include:

– Personal data: surname, name, patronymic, gender, date of birth, place of birth, citizenship.

– The address of the dwelling to be declared and information about the previous place of residence.

– Contact information: phone, e-mail and other available means of communication.

– Identification documents: details of a passport or other identification document, a unique number in the Unified State Demographic Register, and a taxpayer registration number.

– Information for specific groups, such as persons liable for military service, including information on military registration documents.

– Information on the payment of the administrative fee and the date of the declaration.

Please note! A person submitting a residence declaration through the Unified State Web Portal of Electronic Services (Diia Portal) is responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information provided.

In case the declarant is not the owner or co-owner of the dwelling, he/she must include in the declaration detailed information about each of the owners or co-owners of the dwelling:

1. Full names, surnames, patronymics (if any)

2. Date of birth

3. Details of passport documents

3. Registration numbers of taxpayer registration cards 

4. Information on documents confirming the ownership of housing

5. Contact information

How can a foreigner register a place of residence in Ukraine? 

The registration of a person's place of residence (stay) is carried out during a personal visit to the registration authority (including through the administrative service center) at the address of the dwelling, regardless of the form of ownership.

To register a place of residence (stay), a person or his/her legal representative, an authorized person of the housing or an authorized person of a specialized social institution, institution for homeless persons, or other provider of social services with accommodation shall submit:

1. A completed application in accordance with the established form.

2. Passport or other identification document (for children under 14 years of age - birth certificate or equivalent document)

3. Certificate of registration of a person as a citizen of Ukraine (in case of registration of the place of residence of a child under 14 years of age for the first time, if both or one of the parents is a foreigner or stateless person);

4. A document confirming the right to live in a particular dwelling.

5. Receipt of payment of the administrative fee, if such payment is required.

Registration of residence is an important step for every person in Ukraine, which ensures the rights and access to necessary services. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact our lawyers for qualified assistance. You can order a legal consultation or full legal support on our website by following this link.

In what other cases you can contact the professional team of Visit Ukraine lawyers, we have described here.

We remind you! One of the most important needs of foreigners planning their stay in Ukraine is housing. Read where a foreigner can find housing for daily and long-term rent, what are the current prices for apartments, and how to avoid getting scammed when renting housing in our previous article.