How a Foreigner Can Move to Ukraine: Legalizing Your Stay

Ukraine is not only a country rich in history and culture, but also a modern hub of new opportunities. For foreigners seeking to relocate, it offers attractive prospects: accessible conditions for starting a business, a favorable tax environment, and relatively moderate living costs. That’s why we’ve been receiving an increasing number of client inquiries lately: is it possible to move to Ukraine?

It’s important to understand that Ukrainian immigration law clearly regulates the rules for entry, stay, and document processing for those who want to remain in the country long-term. To relocate to Ukraine, a foreigner must follow a legally defined procedure for legalization.

It’s worth understanding that illegal stay leads to serious consequences, such as fines, deportation, and a ban on re-entry into Ukraine. That’s why our specialists, with over 15 years of experience in migration law, recommend a structured approach to relocation with a clear strategy, valid grounds for residence, and proper legal support.

This article explains how a foreign national can legally reside in Ukraine, what legalization options are available, which documents are required, and how to avoid legal pitfalls.

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How a Foreigner Can Move to Ukraine: Legalization Options

To begin with, foreign nationals have the right to stay in Ukraine for the duration of their visa (business, private, tourist, work, transit, or other types). If your country of citizenship is part of Ukraine’s visa-free regime, the permitted stay typically may not exceed 90 days within the last 180-day period, either consecutively or cumulatively.

For a longer stay in Ukraine, a foreign national must have a legal basis to obtain a temporary or permanent residence permit. The most common grounds include:

• employment with a Ukrainian company or starting a business in Ukraine
• studying at a Ukrainian institution of higher education;
• marriage to a Ukrainian citizen;
• family reunification with a spouse who resides in Ukraine on a temporary or permanent residence permit;
• volunteering or participation in religious organizations;
• investment (for example, in real estate or business).

You can learn more about the legal grounds for residence and the specific status of foreign nationals in Ukraine in the Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons." However, understanding all the legal terminology can be challenging, and even more difficult is identifying which path best fits your situation and offers the most effective solution. This is where the value of professional assistance from a migration law specialist becomes clear.

Therefore, if a foreigner needs to stay in Ukraine for a longer period, they must apply for either a temporary residence permit or a permanent residence permit. A temporary permit is usually issued for one or two years (with the possibility of extension), while a permanent residence permit grants the right to live in Ukraine indefinitely.

What if your stay in Ukraine is about to expire?

There are situations where a foreign national may need to remain in Ukraine beyond the allowed period (either the visa duration or more than 90 days). In such cases, it is necessary to contact the local office of the State Migration Service with documents that justify the extension of stay. Acceptable grounds include:

• medical treatment for the foreigner or a family member;
• pregnancy and childbirth;
• processing of inheritance documents;
• other circumstances that prevent the foreign national from leaving Ukraine on time.

We covered this topic in more detail in our article: When, for whom, and for how long can a stay in Ukraine be extended?

Marriage to a Ukrainian Citizen

One of the most common grounds for obtaining a temporary or permanent residence permit is marriage to a Ukrainian citizen. However, the process is more complex than it may seem. Legal nuances, checks for fraudulent marriages, and documentation requirements can quickly complicate matters.

After officially registering the marriage, a foreign national becomes eligible for a one-year temporary residence permit. The location of the marriage, whether in Ukraine or abroad, does not matter, as long as the supporting documents are properly prepared. Depending on the country where the marriage was registered, the marriage certificate must either be apostilled or legalized to be valid in Ukraine.

The residence permit must be renewed every year for an additional year. In the event of a divorce, the temporary residence permit will be canceled, and the foreign national is required to return the document to the migration service.

To apply for a permanent residence permit, the marriage must have lasted for at least two years, and the couple must undergo a migration service review to confirm that the marriage is not fictitious. More details can be found in our publication: "Marriage Verification for Obtaining Permanent Residence Permit in Ukraine: New Rules."

If a foreign national receives permanent residence based on marriage, a subsequent divorce does not affect the validity of the document, and the permit cannot be revoked.

Becoming a Volunteer in Ukraine and Obtaining a Residence Permit

Volunteering is a form of civic engagement driven by the desire to provide help without seeking personal gain. If a foreign national plans to reside in Ukraine based on volunteer work, they must follow a specific procedure.

First and foremost, the foreign national must receive an invitation from an organization that is authorized to host volunteers and has officially notified the National Social Service of Ukraine (NSSU) of its intent to do so. The NSSU publishes a list of all such organizations on its website, making the information publicly accessible.

This organization becomes the host party responsible for the foreign volunteer and assumes the following obligations:

• providing financial support to the volunteer;
• ensuring proper conditions for carrying out volunteer activities;
• securing the volunteer’s legal residence in Ukraine.

Based on documents issued by the organization, the foreign national may obtain a visa to enter Ukraine (if required) and a one-year residence permit. If the individual continues their volunteer work, the permit must be renewed annually.

Is it possible to obtain permanent residency through volunteering?

Yes, a volunteer can move to permanent residency in Ukraine. If a foreign volunteer has continuously resided in Ukraine for more than five years on the basis of a temporary residence permit, they become eligible to apply for a permanent residence permit. Importantly, after receiving the permanent residence permit, the foreign national may stop their volunteer activities without affecting the validity of the permit or their legal residency status in Ukraine.

Employment of Foreign Nationals in Ukraine or Starting a Business as a Foreigner

Another common basis for legalizing a foreign national in Ukraine is employment. A foreigner may be invited to work as an employee at a Ukrainian company or even by a Ukrainian private entrepreneur, or they may open their own company and appoint themselves as director.

This basis allows the foreigner to obtain a temporary residence permit for up to two years. However, the company must first obtain a work permit for the foreign national, which is issued by the Employment Center.

A company that has received permission to employ a foreign worker is obligated to notify both the Employment Center and the migration authority that issued the temporary residence permit in the event of the employee’s dismissal. Based on this notification, the work permit is revoked, and the residence permit is canceled.

Please note: the Employment Center regularly monitors the payment of taxes and social contributions for a foreign employee. If non-payment of the single social contribution is detected for two consecutive months, the work permit is revoked, which automatically leads to the loss of the right to temporary residence.

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Residency in Ukraine Through Investment

Residency in Ukraine may also be obtained on the basis of investment in the Ukrainian economy, either as a temporary or permanent residence permit.

To obtain a temporary residence permit, a foreign founder and/or participant, and/or ultimate beneficial owner (controller) of the company must contribute property, securities, or funds equivalent to at least €100,000 to the charter capital of a legal entity registered in Ukraine. 

Foreign investors are granted a temporary residence permit for a period of 2 years, but it is revoked if they lose their status as a founder, participant, or beneficial owner.

The right to obtain a permanent residence permit is granted to foreigners who have invested at least 100,000 US dollars in the Ukrainian economy.

Comprehensive Legal Support for Foreign Nationals in Ukraine

The migration lawyers at Pravova Dopomoga Law Firm have been working in the field of migration law since 2012.

Our clients know that we do more than provide consultations for non-residents; we offer end-to-end solutions, handling the entire legal side of the process. Specifically, we can help you:

• legalize your stay in Ukraine on a lawful basis;
• obtain a temporary or permanent residence permit;
• complete the immigration procedure to Ukraine;
• obtain a visa or extend your stay in Ukraine;
• lift a ban on entry into Ukraine;
• extend, exchange, cancel, or restore documents confirming the legal residence of a foreign national in Ukraine in case of loss or theft;
• conduct a professional review of your documents and provide a detailed consultation to resolve your case.

We understand how important it is to feel supported and secure when dealing with complex migration matters. With us, your legalization process will be as simple, transparent, and efficient as possible.

Submit a request for a consultation and assistance from a migration law attorney right now!