Citizens must comply with the established rules during martial law and military registration for persons of mobilization age. In particular, there are certain rules for men liable for military service to move within the country. Find out whether the rules have changed with the adoption of the new law on mobilization and what requirements men should be aware of

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In Ukraine, the process of mobilization is underway, which covers all men liable for military service between the ages of 18 and 60. It is known that there are specific rules for them to move around the country. However, there are also important aspects for citizens who are not subject to mobilization obligations under the law.

We will tell you whether citizens can move around Ukraine and what rules are currently in effect.

Is there a ban on traveling around the country for citizens: details

Recently, the Cabinet of Ministers amended Resolution No. 1147 "On the Border Regime" dated July 27, 1998, which entered into force on December 14, according to Resolution No. 1292 dated December 7, 2023. 

The amendments stipulate that it is impossible to stay in the border zone, which covers a 5 km wide area from the border, without a special permit from the State Border Guard Service.

Border guards explain the mechanism of these changes using examples of specific settlements. For example, if a person lives in the city of Chop and does not leave its borders, he or she does not need a special permit, but if he or she travels outside the city, border guards may check for it.

For local residents of the border area who have a residence permit, the permit from the State Border Guard Service will be issued once and for an indefinite period. For those who carry out any activity in the area, the permit is valid for one year, after which it will need to be renewed.

In a commentary for UNIAN, Fedir Venislavsky, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, explained that the new draft law on mobilization hardly changes the existing rules. The document only regulates the control of documents in the controlled border areas, where representatives of the State Border Guard Service will have the right to check not only identity documents, but also military registration documents. 

However, Venislavsky noted that the law on mobilization itself already has the highest legal force, and it is sufficient to control the availability of military registration documents of persons crossing border crossing points. Thus, expanding the powers of SBGS representatives to check these documents is an additional measure that complements the current mobilization rules.

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Mobilization in Ukraine: can a man go to another city?

At present, the rules established in the context of mobilization, as well as the new draft law on mobilization, do not restrict the freedom of movement of a man liable for military service. However, there are important requirements that should be observed for those who fall into this category.

In particular, a person who has the status of a person liable for military service should avoid changing his place of residence from the moment of mobilization and during wartime without the permission of the head of the relevant MCC. 

In addition, in case of moving to a new place of residence, a person must personally appear within seven days from the date of arrival with a passport of a citizen of Ukraine and military registration documents at the relevant territorial military commissariat.

In his commentary, Venislavsky emphasized that the law on mobilization provides for an automatic resolution of the issue of relocation to another region, as every citizen of Ukraine between the ages of 18 and 60 is required to have a military registration document.

Thus, according to him, this issue does not require additional approvals and will be automatically resolved, avoiding any problems.

If you have any problems with this issue or would like to consult with experts, you can always contact our lawyers, who will help you find a solution using an individual approach. You can order a consultation here.

We remind you! The law on mobilisation signed by the President in April provides for a number of changes for men, including mandatory updating of their personal data. Read here to find out how men abroad can do this, when the deadline is, and what will happen if they do not update their data.


Photo: Getty Images

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Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

On the Visit Ukraine portal, you can get legal advice on migration law. Our lawyers will answer all your questions and, if necessary, help you collect, submit and receive the documents you need. You can order a specialist consultation or full legal support by following this link.

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