Travelling abroad for 17-year-olds: what are the rules and who can be denied?

Ukrainian citizens under the age of majority can cross the border without restrictions, but there are cases when they may not be allowed to leave Ukraine. Find out what grounds give border guards the right to refuse to allow such persons to leave

Legal advice on migration issues for Ukrainians

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Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, restrictions have been imposed on travel abroad for men of conscription age. Citizens under the age of 23 can travel across the border without any problems. However, even 17-year-old men may encounter problems when leaving the country. We explain what this is about below.

According to Ukrainian law, teenagers who have already turned 16 can freely travel abroad without their parents. At the same time, children under the age of 16 can leave Ukraine accompanied by one parent, and the permission of the other parent is not required.

Rules for travelling abroad for 17-year-olds

According to Article 313 of the Civil Code of Ukraine, a person who has reached the age of 16 has the right to freely leave Ukraine.

Please note that during martial law, restrictions on leaving Ukraine will apply to citizens aged 23 to 60. At the same time, according to the State Border Service, 17-year-olds can leave Ukraine even if they are only a few days away from reaching the age of majority.

Important! On 17 January 2025, amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On Military Duty and Military Service’ came into force, stipulating that young men must register for military service upon reaching the age of 17. This means that if you are 17 years old but are not registered, border guards will consider this a violation of military registration rules. In this case, you may be prohibited from leaving the country.

Currently, there are clear deadlines for registration: from 1 January to 31 July of the year in which a person turns 17. If your birthday is in December 2025, you must register between 1 January and 31 July 2025.

If you think you might have trouble crossing the border, we suggest getting advice from an immigration lawyer first. They can help you put together the right documents and check that everything is in order.

If border guards refuse to let you leave without a good reason, you can appeal their decision. To do this, you need to file a complaint with the head of the state border guard service, whose name and address are indicated in the decision. You can also call the border guard service hotline at 1598.

At the same time, it is important to understand that there are cases when 17-year-old citizens are not allowed to leave the country on legal grounds.

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When can a 17-year-old be denied exit from Ukraine?

The most common reason for being denied entry at the border is a damaged or expired foreign passport. If you are planning to leave, check your document in advance.

Travel abroad at the age of 17 may be restricted if the child is not registered for military service. Registration of men begins at the age of 16, and if a 17-year-old boy does not have a registration certificate, border guards may refuse him entry.

At the same time, it is not enough to have a registration certificate. This document must contain up-to-date records from the territorial recruitment centre.

Lawyers also advise having official consent from parents, as when crossing the border, the legislation of not only Ukraine but also other countries is taken into account. This means that a person without the appropriate permission may simply be denied entry into another country.

The reason for refusal to leave may also be a relevant court decision regarding the young person or the fact that they are under investigation or wanted (even if it concerns administrative offences).

Reminder! Young defenders of Ukraine have been granted the long-awaited right to a legal break from service. Service members aged 18 to 25 who have successfully completed their first one-year contract are now protected from being called up again for a full year. Find out how this leave process works.

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