How to obtain a residence permit in Ukraine in 2021

Ways to move due to objective circumstances

Different situations happen in life:

• suddenly flared up feelings;
• receiving an inheritance;
• creating a business or establishing business contacts.

And while millions of Ukrainian citizens are concerned about leaving, a Russian may need to obtain a temporary or permanent residence permit. For any foreigner, if he does not fall under the quota provided for by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted 18 years ago, even obtaining a temporary residence permit means going through a process in several stages. Russians, due to the local mentality, the events that have taken place and the language around which there are constant debates, will have to spend more effort to overcome bureaucratic obstacles.

Quota

It is advisable to obtain a special immigration permit, which hypothetically simplifies the process of obtaining a temporary or permanent residence permit. However, in reality this means that certain categories of migrants, and not only from Russia, must receive special permission, according to a decree adopted in December 2002. It is required in cases where a citizen who wants to move from Russia to Ukraine belongs to the following categories of persons:

• previously was the holder of a passport of a citizen of Ukraine and for some reason lost it;
• is a high-class specialist, and the Ukrainian state is experiencing a shortage of people of this specialty with good professional training;
• refers to scientists or cultural figures and certainly wants to work in the country for some reason;
• is a close relative (two points in the list of requirements on this basis) - full kinship, child, parent or legal spouse of a citizen (citizen), + who has the right to permanent residence.

There is another category of people who need to receive a quota - it is necessary for victims of the slave trade and refugees, regardless of whether they left their homeland due to a natural disaster, man-made disaster or political persecution.

Members of their families and those who have asked for asylum in the country are legally included in it, provided that they have confirmed their status with the appropriate documents. Granting the right to reside may be denied if the established quotas have expired, and then permission will have to be applied for only a year after submitting the application. The validity of the permit document, as well as the duration of the refusal, lasts exactly one year from the date of submission of the previous application.

Important!

As for foreigners who invest more than 100 thousand dollars in the country’s economy or are ready to do so, and who have the appropriate documents to support this, starting in 2015, Ukraine accepts them without restrictions. However, purchasing real estate on Ukrainian territory does not give the right to obtain citizenship, although it may appear as one of the additional grounds for obtaining a passport.

Accommodation without quota

Several categories of foreigners have this right, and it allows them to obtain a temporary or permanent residence permit in the country. This is not citizenship, but the only difference is the right to be elected to local authorities. Foreigners who can do without a quota when obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine include:

• wives and husbands of native citizens, provided that more than 2 years have passed since the date of marriage;
• those listed in Article 8 of the Citizenship Law (born in the territory and for some reason ended up in another state);
• relatives (direct only), guardians and wards of native citizens of Ukraine, or ethnic Ukrainians, with legal spouses and children;
• foreigners of potential interest for the development of the economy or other sectors of the state.

Important!

Those who set out to obtain a Ukrainian residence permit, especially Russian citizens, will certainly need a document confirming the legitimacy of such an attempt. For example, for a Russian woman who has entered into a legal marriage with a Ukrainian, a marriage certificate is not enough even to obtain a temporary residence permit. You will need a whole package of basic documents and a petition from the receiving party, drawn up in a special form. If its validity period has expired and it was not possible to obtain a permanent permit, the foreigner is obliged to deregister at the place of registration within a week and leave Ukraine.

Grounds for extending a residence permit in Ukraine.

A residence permit can be extended only on the grounds on which it was issued.

• If a residence permit was obtained through employment, then it can be extended only through employment.

It is allowed to change the employer's company.

• When extending a residence permit for volunteer work, the basis remains the same – volunteer work.

You can choose another volunteer organization.

• Extension of residence permit by marriage is possible only by marriage.

Changing spouse is prohibited.

To extend a residence permit, you need to take into account many nuances. Much depends on the reasons for which you received it previously. It is better to consult a lawyer.

Where do you need to submit documents to renew your residence permit?

Submission of documents for renewal - only at the place of registration of the foreigner.

A citizen can obtain a residence permit in one city, then move and register in another city, or a third. Documents for renewal must be submitted at the place of last registration.

For example, a person received a residence permit in Kyiv, then he registered in Odessa. To extend a residence permit, documents must be submitted in Odessa.

Everyone knows that a residence permit is easiest and simplest to renew in Kyiv.

• in the capital there are significantly more firms providing migration law services (significant competition for clients);
• less corruption in this area (due to the presence of influential international organizations);
• The migration service has much more experience in working with foreigners.

What to do to extend a residence permit in Kyiv:

• check out from your last place of residence in advance;
• register in Kyiv.

Why is it more profitable to renew a residence permit in Ukraine in Kyiv?

Prices for services for extending a residence permit in Kyiv start from $300. USA (varies depending on the basis). You will only need to come to Kyiv for one day. As a rule - in the morning. At lunchtime you will be free. Even taking into account the costs of travel and registration (about 150 - 250 US dollars), it is significantly cheaper than in other cities.

Let’s say that in Odessa, Kharkov and Dnieper prices for similar services start at $1,000. USA.

Deadlines for submitting documents to extend a residence permit in Ukraine.

To renew a residence permit, you must submit documents 15 working days before its expiration date. This is approximately 22-23 calendar days. The specified period cannot be violated; it is not restored. If you miss it, your documents will not be accepted and you will have to leave the country.

Immigration permit and other documents

Ukraine is one of the few countries in which, in order to submit a package of documents for a residence permit, you must first obtain an immigration permit (at home in Russia, at the Ukrainian Embassy, ​​or already locally in Ukraine) from the relevant authorities (department for citizenship affairs). The form is usually provided on site, but it is better to fill it out in Ukrainian. It must be accompanied by a document confirming the existence of legal grounds for obtaining a residence permit (marriage certificate with a Ukrainian, employment contract, certificate of close relatives, etc.).

Since a certain time, a simple Russian passport is not enough; you only need a foreign passport and its page-by-page copy translated into Ukrainian.

People who have already encountered this advise having several copies certified by a notary at once, so that after some time they do not have to look for a translator again and do not stand in line to see a legal professional. On the same visit, you need to certify a certificate of family composition, which must also be translated from Russian. You will also need:

• 3 photographs 3.5 by 4.5 cm;
• 2 registrations - in Russia and Ukraine (if the application for permission took place after crossing the border);
• absence of dangerous diseases and alcohol/drug addiction confirmed by a certificate;
• a certificate containing a statement of the absence of criminal records and prosecutions.

Only after receiving such permission can you begin to obtain a residence permit - first temporary, and then permanent.

The temporary one will have to be extended periodically, but this is a necessary stage that must be passed in order to receive almost all the rights of a citizen except the opportunity to run for office in local government structures. This is only the first stage in overcoming numerous bureaucratic obstacles.

You need to prepare for the fact that government officials will speak to visitors in Ukrainian, and this rule is strictly observed if a Russian-speaking visitor comes. This is not so necessary if the foreigner comes from a country where the official language is different, and poor English or Russian is used as a tool for interethnic communication.

What is an immigration permit?

Foreigners staying outside Ukraine will need such a paper, and they can obtain it by contacting the diplomatic mission of the state. A petition completed in accordance with all the rules can be considered a sufficient basis for the institution to issue an immigrant one-year visa (Type D). In the future, this visa will be replaced by a permanent residence permit and, of course, its extension will no longer be required.

Example of a visa to Ukraine

Thanks to a residence permit, a foreign citizen receives the right to visa-free entry into Ukraine and can also live in the country for as long as he needs. In addition, the migrant is endowed with the right to free employment and economic rights characteristic of a resident of the state, except, perhaps, voting rights.

In circumstances where a migrant who has already entered the country and is on its territory applies for a permanent residence permit, the document is received at the same time as the immigration permit. The issuance of such permits is carried out by OVIR/SMS.

Registration of a residence permit

A prerequisite is the presence of a special document confirming the validity and legality of obtaining a residence permit. That is, that same immigration permit, for which you will have to collect the largest number of papers. Next, you will have to fill out an application for a residence permit, certainly in Ukrainian.

Experienced people advise downloading the official form on the Internet and asking a native speaker to fill it out. The information provided in the form will be carefully checked, so there should be no inaccuracies, omissions or corrections. You will again need photographs of the same format (3.5x4.5 cm), but already 4 pieces (it doesn’t matter whether they are color or black and white, but the main thing is in good quality). Below is the list:

1. A Russian passport, but certainly a foreign one. It is accompanied by page-by-page copies and a translation into Ukrainian certified by a notary. You can only have two pages - with personal data and a photo, but better - all pages.
2. If the case is about family reunification, you will need a certificate of composition, a marriage certificate, if the status is divorced, then a divorce certificate and the same documents about the birth of each of the existing children.
3. Obtaining a permanent or temporary residence permit requires mandatory registration at the place of residence in Ukraine. Attached to it is a residential lease agreement or a document certifying the fact of ownership of the property.
4. Three certificates that need to be taken in Russia (an exception may be two medical ones, after examination in Ukraine) - about the absence of a criminal record, severe addiction (alcohol and drugs), tuberculosis, syphilis and HIV.

Although documents proving the existence of legal grounds were already provided when obtaining an immigration permit, they will again be required to be presented. It is better to clarify the list in advance, because, for example, an invitation to work will not be enough - you will have to bring an employment agreement and an order for employment.

Important!

All papers issued in Russian are submitted to the supervisory authorities complete with a Ukrainian translation, which must be certified by a notary and, preferably, by a public notary.

Obtaining a residence permit is a mandatory condition for permanent residence in Ukraine. This is done in most cases in person (both in Russia, when visiting a consulate or embassy, ​​and in the future place of residence in the territorial authorities)

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In some cases, registration through a legal representative is allowed, who must have a power of attorney to represent the interests of the applicant (also certified by a notary). The application will be accepted only if all necessary documents have been collected. But you need to be prepared for the fact that after 7 days there may not be a certificate issued against receipt after presentation of an identity document, but a refusal to provide a residence permit on the basis of a trifling pretext. When obtaining a basic residence permit, you must present a receipt for payment of the state fee. Some categories of citizens have the right to non-payment, but it works if there is an appropriate certificate about it.

For how long can a residence permit in Ukraine be extended?

Standard - for 1 year. Employment can be extended for up to 3 years.

What to do if you haven’t registered at your place of residence.

After receiving a residence permit, you must register at your place of residence. 30 days are allotted for this. Registration is required. Without it, you cannot extend your residence permit - the migration service will not accept the documents. In addition, you will have to pay a fine.

What to do if the grounds on which a residence permit was obtained are no longer available.

This happens when the employer does not renew the contract, or the volunteer project ends.

If there are no grounds for extending the residence permit, you must leave the territory of Ukraine and do the following:

1. Submit your residence permit certificate. The deadline is the 7th day from the expiration date.
2. Leave the territory of Ukraine.
3. Choose a new basis for obtaining a residence permit and re-enter Ukraine.
4. Submit documents for obtaining a residence permit on new grounds.

It is important to immediately choose the right basis for obtaining a residence permit. The procedure becomes more complicated for citizens of those countries with which Ukraine has a visa regime. In order for them to receive a new residence permit certificate, they will first have to apply for a new visa D.

Citizens of Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation and other countries with a visa-free regime, to obtain a residence permit on the new grounds, it is enough to cross the border of Ukraine and enter the country again.

Finally.

For all questions regarding registration and extension of a temporary residence permit, you can contact migration lawyers.

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Typical mistakes on the topic

Error: Some migrants are sure that to obtain a temporary residence permit they need to obtain an immigration permit. In fact, it is only necessary when applying for a permanent one. This misconception is based on the fact that in any case you need to go through the registration procedure, submit a basic package of documents and a medical insurance policy. If your place of residence has changed for some reason, you must report this and re-register.

Error: To obtain a permanent residence permit due to employment, any foreigner requires not only an employment contract, but also a copy of the order on his employment, indicating the position held. Sometimes this circumstance comes as a surprise to the applicant, and he has to visit the authorized bodies twice. But even if there is an order and an agreement, he needs all the basic documents included in the official list.

Answers to frequently asked questions on the topic

Question: Is it possible to obtain permission to immigrate a child if there is no consent of the other parent?

Answer: It is possible if you have a decision received from the relevant authorities to leave the baby in the care of one of the parents. Before leaving Russia, it must be presented at the Ukrainian consulate for legalization.

Question: Should I be wary of hostility when moving from Russia to Ukrainian territory?

Answer: Official sources assure that there is no reason for this. However, in practice, this can be encountered even when entering the country - to obtain a temporary residence permit, you need to live in the territory for 90 days, but the border service denies the opportunity to appear in Ukraine, often on far-fetched grounds.