Your pension may be temporarily suspended: what you need to do by December 31, 2026

Some Ukrainian pensioners must undergo mandatory in-person verification by the end of the year. Otherwise, their payments may be temporarily suspended. Find out who this requirement applies to and how to avoid pension-related issues

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Ukrainian pensioners living abroad who receive pension payments into accounts at Ukrainian banks must complete annual in-person identification by December 31, 2026. If this is not done by the deadline, pension payments may be temporarily suspended.

The Pension Fund of Ukraine has issued a reminder regarding this. They note that the procedure must be completed every year, regardless of whether the pensioner has undergone identification previously.

Who needs to undergo in-person identification

The requirement applies to Ukrainian citizens who permanently or temporarily reside outside the country but continue to receive their pension through accounts in Ukrainian banks.

Pensioners residing in temporarily occupied territories and receiving pension benefits from Ukraine must also undergo in-person identification.

The Pension Fund explains that this procedure is necessary to verify the recipient’s identity and prevent the fraudulent receipt of social benefits.

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What happens if you do not complete the verification

If the requirement is not met by the end of 2026, pension payments may be temporarily suspended until the necessary procedure is completed.

After successful identification, pension payments will resume as usual.

What else should pensioners pay attention to

The Pension Fund also reminds that pension payments are transferred exclusively to accounts in Ukrainian banks.

If a pensioner does not use a bank card for an extended period and does not conduct any financial transactions, this may serve as grounds for additional verification by the relevant authorities.

Therefore, citizens who are abroad or residing in temporarily occupied territories are advised not to delay undergoing in-person identification and to fulfill this requirement by December 31, 2026, to avoid potential issues with pension payments.

How to maintain pension payments

To continue receiving your pension without interruption, you must:

complete annual in-person verification by the end of 2026;

use the bank account into which pension payments are deposited;

monitor notifications from the Pension Fund regarding possible changes to the pension payment process;

update your personal information in a timely manner as needed.

Compliance with these requirements will help avoid a temporary suspension of payments and ensure uninterrupted receipt of pension benefits.

We remind you! The Ukrainian government has approved annual financial assistance ahead of the main national holiday. In 2026, veterans, people with disabilities, and the families of fallen defenders will be able to receive up to 3,100 hryvnias. Read who exactly is eligible for this one-time payment and how the amounts are distributed by category.

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