Immigration permit for foreigners with relatives in Ukraine

Immigration (Permanent Residence Permit) in Ukraine has many advantages: a foreigner does not lose his/her citizenship and can reside in the country for an unlimited period of time, work (without obtaining additional permits), do business, study, buy property, etc.

The procedure for obtaining a Permanent Residence Permit consists of several stages, one of which is obtaining an Immigration Permit. Today we will elaborate on the process of obtaining this document, the nuances of the procedure, timing and peculiarities for those who plan to immigrate to Ukraine through family ties.

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Who can get an Immigration Permit in Ukraine?

It will be easiest to immigrate for persons who have children or parents who are citizens of Ukraine, as well as if the second spouse (a husband, a wife) is a citizen of Ukraine. But there is one condition here - the marriage must cover the period of at least two years.

To confirm the children’s citizenship of Ukraine, you must have a certificate. We talked about the procedure for obtaining it in more detail here.

In addition to the passport, you will need to submit the following documents to the migration service:

• confirmation of family relations with a citizen of Ukraine (certificates of birth, name change, marriage, etc.);
• proof of residence abroad and in Ukraine;
• proof of Ukrainian citizenship of a spouse, child or parent.

Let’s consider the situation when such relatives as a brother or sister, a grandfather or grandmother, a grandson or granddaughter are citizens of Ukraine. We should note right away that brothers and sisters must be related not only by their mother’s or father’s side.

In addition to the documents listed above, you will need to submit:

• information on criminal record in the country of previous residence;
• medical certificates of absence of diseases stipulated by the Ministry of Health (including chronic alcoholism, substance abuse, drug addiction, certain infectious diseases);
• documents confirming permanent residence of the relative in Ukraine;
• a document confirming payment for administrative services.

In Ukraine you can also get a Permanent Residence Permit if you are the mother, father, husband or wife of an immigrant, the same applies to their children under the age of 18.

The key aspects you need to pay attention to here. The first is that in addition to all of the previously mentioned documents, you must also submit another notarized consent of a relative-immigrant to your immigration to Ukraine, and their guarantee to provide you with a financial support in the amount of at least the established living wage in Ukraine.

The second point concerns minor children if they migrate with only one parent. For example, the other stays in another country. Most often this happens after a divorce. Then the parent of the child who will not immigrate must provide you with a notarized permission for a child’s immigration to Ukraine.

It should be noted that your relative must have documents for permanent residence in Ukraine, if he has a temporary residence permit, it will not be the basis for obtaining a permit for immigration.

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What do you need to keep in mind when getting an Immigration Permit in Ukraine?

Regardless of the grounds that entitle you to obtain a permit to immigrate to Ukraine, the mandatory condition in any case is the legality of stay in Ukraine. That is, if the entry was made on the basis of a visa, the period will be specified on the visa label, and in case of the visa-free country - 90 days cumulatively for the last 180 days. These time limits must not be violated.

Our lawyers will help you to understand the grounds, correctly draw up and execute all the documents.

The Migration Service accepts the application only if all the documents are properly executed (you cannot then bring, replace, correct them, etc.). That is, everything must be drawn up correctly and comply with the requirements.

In case of errors, inaccuracies, falsifications, providing false information (for example, verification will reveal the presence of a criminal record, name change, having another citizenship, etc.), you may be rejected an Immigration Permit. In this case, you may not reapply for the permit for at least one year.

The Immigration Permit is valid for one year. The exceptions are permits issued during the quarantine period - they are extended to two years.

During this time, the foreigner must apply for a Permanent Residence Permit. In case of failure to obtain a residence permit during the immigration permit validity period, the entire procedure for obtaining a permit has to be repeated.

Our specialists undertake the entire procedure of obtaining the permit, arrange the process, meet deadlines, and prepare documents for submission in advance.

Permit to immigrate within the quota

Many people who are just beginning to search the Internet for information on obtaining a permanent residence permit in Ukraine have come across the concept of a "quota". What exactly is a quota?

The quota of immigration permits is a number of permits that Ukraine is willing to issue per year to foreigners on strictly defined grounds.

That is, once a year (before March 1), the government determines how many permanent residence permits it is willing to issue that year, and on what grounds. This decision is usually based on statistics from previous periods and the general situation in the country and beyond, as well as Ukraine's need for certain types of specialists (e.g. IT specialists).

Usually the quota (number of possible permits) is set for the following categories: 

• scientific and cultural workers;
• highly qualified specialists and workers (IT specialists are included in this category);
• investors contributing no less than one hundred (100) thousand US dollars to the Ukrainian economy;
• persons who were formerly citizens of Ukraine;
• military personnel who have served in the Ukrainian armed forces for three years or more.

This is only a number of categories, the full list can be found in the law and on the websites of the Ukrainian migration authorities.

What does the quota for permanent residence for foreigners matter? If you fall into one of these categories - it is important to have time to apply for and receive a permit to immigrate before the seats for that year will run out, that's all.

Permission to immigrate outside the immigration quota

There are categories of foreigners who may qualify for permanent residence in Ukraine, regardless of quotas - that is, there is always room for them. The law provides only six grounds for receiving an immigration permit outside the quota:

• children and parents of Ukrainian citizens, spouse of a Ukrainian citizen, provided that they have been married for more than 2 years;
• guardians or custodians of Ukrainian citizens or being under the guardianship or custody of Ukrainian citizens
• by territorial origin;
• immigration is of state interest for Ukraine;
• foreign Ukrainians;
• stateless persons who have held this status for more than 2 years and have already obtained a residence permit in Ukraine.

If this is your case, you can begin preparing documents for Permit to Immigrate to Ukraine at any time. The main thing is to have the documents, which will confirm 1 of 6 reasons mentioned.

Who decides whether or not to issue an Immigration Permit for Ukraine?

The decision is taken by the territorial subdivision or body of the State Migration Service of Ukraine. Of course, on the basis of previously prepared documents and the identity of the applicant.

What is the procedure of taking a decision on an immigration permit for a foreigner?

The procedure consists of only two steps:

1. Collecting, preparing and submitting documents to the migration service or consular office if the foreigner resides abroad.
2. Carrying out checks and making a decision on granting an Immigration Permit.

Once you have received the Permit, you can apply for the Permit itself. The deadline for issuing it is only about 15 days. During the war, however, the deadlines may change. 

What are the grounds for refusing an immigration permit?

Of course, the Immigration Permit can be refused. The main reasons for refusal are: 

• the existence of a criminal record;
• if you have a criminal record or a suspicion of a criminal offence if you are still being investigated;
• if an alien is chronically ill with alcohol, substance abuse or an infectious disease etc;
• if false information or forged documents have been submitted;
• if the foreigner has already been banned from entering the territory of Ukraine for the period of examination of the documents.

There may be other reasons for refusal.

Important: Criminal record and illnesses are not grounds for refusal - children, parents, spouses of a Ukrainian citizen or persons who receive a permit on the basis of their territorial origin.

Can I re-apply for an immigration permit in Ukraine?

It is possible to re-apply for a residence permit no sooner than one year from the date of the refusal. If the reasons for the refusal have been remedied.

It is easy enough to avoid a rejection - we can help you with that. It is better to take care of the correct documents in advance. Otherwise, you just risk losing 1 year of your life - because that is how long the documents are checked and approved. And another year, as we said, you will have to wait for a new opportunity to submit documents.

Don't take the risk.

Please see the cost of services for obtaining a Permanent Residence Permit in Ukraine here.

If you want to stay in Ukraine legally, we’ll find the best option for you. Please contact us for personal consultations.

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