Can I immigrate to Ukraine after two years of marriage to a Ukrainian citizen?

One of the most frequent grounds for obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine is marriage with a citizen of Ukraine. The state implements this as family reunification. This basis entitles a foreigner to reside legally on the territory of Ukraine for one year with the possibility of extending the period of stay an unlimited number of times. 

But the most interesting thing is that our legislation has also provided for other options that allow a foreigner to obtain the status of a resident. To be more exact — a foreigner can apply for an immigration permit and a permanent residence permit after two years of marriage to a citizen of Ukraine. Today, we will elaborate on why obtaining a residence permit may be a more convenient option, and how to get a new type of permit.

You may also like: Grounds for Obtaining a Residence Permit in Ukraine

How to get a residence permit in Ukraine after 2 years of marriage?

First, let’s define who can obtain a residence permit on this basis:

A foreigner who has been officially married to a citizen of Ukraine for more than two years. And it does not matter whether the marriage was concluded in Ukraine or in another country. The main criterion will be the presence of an official document confirming the fact of registration of family relations. 

Other necessary conditions for obtaining a residence permit will be as follows:

• Legal basis of foreigner’s stay on the territory of Ukraine (residence permit, C-type visa or 90 days visa)

• Valid foreign passport.

The first stage of preparation for obtaining a residence permit will be the preparation of a package of documents. For this purpose, our lawyers usually ask the Client for a standard list of documents for their further execution and submission:

• a copy of the foreigner’s passport;

• a copy of the document confirming the legality of stay on the territory of Ukraine;

• a document confirming the place of residence in the country of citizenship;

• a document confirming the registration of the marriage with a citizen of Ukraine;

• a copy of the passport of a citizen of Ukraine.

Following the documents review and their preparation (translation and certification by a notary), we initiate the immigration procedure. If a foreigner is on the territory of Ukraine in accordance with the provisions of the legislation: a person entered the country with a 90-days permit (for visa-free countries), received a visa C or a residence permit, then you can immediately submit documents to the State Migration Service.

If a foreigner is abroad, you will need to properly invite him/her. For this purpose, our lawyers will prepare an invitation letter and, if necessary, documents for obtaining a C-type visa.  

Our lawyers prepare the following documents for a visa:

• translation of the foreigner’s passport certified by a notary;

• translation of the marriage registration certificate (if foreign) certified by a notary;

• health insurance policy;

• invitation letter to Ukraine.

After a foreigner enters Ukraine, the main procedure begins — immigration.

Documents required to obtain a permanent residence permit through marriage include:

• translation of the foreigner’s passport certified by a notary;

• a document confirming that the person does not suffer from chronic alcoholism, substance abuse, drug addiction or infectious diseases. This document can be obtained in the territory of Ukraine — we will provide you with the contacts of the relevant institution;

• a Certificate of No Criminal Record in Ukraine;

• translation of the marriage certificate certified by a notary;

• an application for residence from the host party.

When the documents for immigration are submitted, the next step is periodic monitoring of the cases by our lawyers. We send inquiries to the migration service with a request for information on the case and inform the Client after receiving a response. Usually it does not take more than one year to get a permit.

Continuous monitoring of your case is important: it is the lawyer’s contact with the Migration Service that helps identify certain obstacles, if any, and speed up the process of obtaining an immigration permit.

Please note! You will be able to legally stay in Ukraine for one year while you are waiting for your immigration permit.

After you get a permit to immigrate to Ukraine, the final step is to apply for a residence permit based on the decision you received. For this purpose, the above mentioned package of documents must be prepared and submitted to the MSU. The period of issuing the permit is 15 business days.

And after the completion of the whole procedure, the foreigner obtains the status of a resident in Ukraine and can legally reside, work and be engaged with other matters for 10 years with the possibility of multiple extensions of the residence permit. 

Is it worth getting a Permanent Residence Permit in Ukraine?

The Permanent Residence Permit has several significant advantages over the Temporary Residence Permit:

• A foreigner can get a tax resident status, which will simplifying the work with Ukrainian banks, and can be an important plus in receiving income in Ukraine;

• A foreigner becomes a resident in Ukraine and does not need to obtain a work permit;

• After receiving a positive immigration decision, a residence permit is issued for 10 years.

• A foreigner can apply for Ukrainian citizenship.

As for the basis of being married for more than 2 years — it allows you to get a permit much faster than other grounds, because you can change a temporary residence to permanent residence in 2 years + 1 year waiting for an immigration permit.

Regarding the disadvantages of obtaining a Permanent Residence Permit in Ukraine through marriage, they are as follows:

• The consideration of the case takes at least 1 year;

• Only the husband or wife of a citizen of Ukraine qualifies under this category.

Do you want to obtain a residence permit in Ukraine? Don’t hesitate to contact us! Our lawyers get residence permits in Ukraine.

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Everything about the procedure for obtaining a Permanent Residence Permit in Ukraine here.