In order to move to Ukraine, a foreigner needs to obtain the relevant documents, because without them, the period of stay will be limited to a certain number of days. We will tell you what grounds there may be for legal long-term stay in Ukraine, what documents are required and how to obtain them

Legal assistance on migration issues

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The stay of foreign nationals and stateless persons in Ukraine is regulated by migration law. According to the current rules, foreigners can move to the country for permanent residence, but they need to have legal grounds and appropriate documents to do so. Without documents - foreigners from visa-free countries can stay in the country for 90 days within 180 days. Citizens of countries with a visa regime are limited to the period for which the visa was issued.

According to Ukrainian law, in order to legally reside in Ukraine, a foreigner must obtain a temporary or permanent residence permit. 

Ways to legalize foreigners in Ukraine: how to obtain a residence permit?

The most common grounds for obtaining a residence permit include marriage, work, business, and volunteering in Ukraine. Let's talk about each method of legalization further in the article.

Marriage with a Ukrainian citizen

If a foreigner decides to start a family with a Ukrainian citizen by entering into an official marriage, he or she will be eligible for legalization in the country. The marriage procedure is very simple. We have described in detail what documents a foreigner needs and how to submit them in this article.

After the marriage is officially registered, the foreigner can apply for a temporary residence permit in Ukraine:

– Foreign nationals from visa-free countries can apply for a temporary residence permit immediately after the marriage.

– Foreign nationals from visa countries must travel abroad and apply to a Ukrainian diplomatic mission to obtain a D-14 visa (on the basis of marriage), and then return to Ukraine and apply for a residence permit. 

A temporary residence permit on the basis of marriage is issued for a period of 1 year. However, a person has the right to extend it an unlimited number of times as long as the couple remains married. After being married for more than 2 years, a foreigner has the right to apply for an immigration permit, which is the basis for obtaining a permanent residence permit in Ukraine.

Read more about how to obtain a residence permit in Ukraine for family reunification in this article.

How to become a volunteer in Ukraine and get a residence permit?

In general, a temporary residence permit on the basis of volunteering can be obtained by persons over 16 years of age who arrived in Ukraine at the invitation of a volunteer organization for the purpose of volunteering. However, such an organization must have an official status and be registered with the National Social Service of Ukraine (NSSU). You can find information about such organizations on the official website of the NSSU.

Read this article to learn how to become a volunteer in Ukraine.

A residence permit is issued for a period of 1 year and can be extended an unlimited number of times if a person continues to volunteer in registered NSSU organizations.

Read more about how to obtain a residence permit on the basis of volunteering in this article.

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Employment of foreigners in Ukraine

In order to obtain a residence permit on the basis of employment, first of all, a foreigner needs to obtain a work permit in Ukraine. We have described how to do this in detail in this article.

After obtaining such a permit and officially being employed by a Ukrainian company, a foreigner can apply for a residence permit in Ukraine. It should be borne in mind that this type of residence permit is issued only if the foreigner has a D-04 visa. 

Read this article to learn how to obtain a special visa and apply for a residence permit in Ukraine on the basis of employment.

Starting a business in Ukraine by a foreigner

Currently, there are two ways to register your own business in Ukraine:

– opening a sole proprietorship (individual entrepreneur);

– opening an LLC (legal entity).

In general, each of these options is the basis for a long-term stay in Ukraine, but requires a different approach and algorithm of actions. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that in order to start a business, a foreigner must obtain a tax number. Read how to do this here.

If you need legal support from a specialist to register your own business in Ukraine, please follow this link.

Recently, e-residency has also been introduced in Ukraine, but this system allows foreigners to do business in Ukraine only remotely. Read how it works in this article.

Each of these ways of legalizing a foreigner in Ukraine requires consistency and knowledge of the legal framework. And qualified lawyers of Visit Ukraine can help you with the preparation of documents for obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine. Our migration law specialists will select the best way of legalization for you and provide comprehensive support at all stages of legalization: from the preparation of documents to the actual receipt of a residence permit.

You can order a specialist consultation, full legal support or a turnkey residence permit service in Ukraine by following this link.

For more information, please contact the Visit Ukraine hotline (Telegram | WhatsApp).

We remind you! Ukraine is always happy to welcome foreign guests and its borders remain open to foreigners despite the war. Read more about how to come to Ukraine and what you need to do in our previous article.