For returnees from abroad

Make sure that you have a document that proves your legal stay in the European Union/host country and a valid travel document to return to Ukraine. 

Temporary protection status

If you stayed in the EU for over 90 days within 180-day frame and applied for temporary protection status, you had a legal basis for staying in the EU and do not need to take additional steps to cross the border to Ukraine, as well as travel to the EU in the future.  

However, if you overstayed 90 days in the EU and did not apply for temporary protection/asylum, please contact your local migration office to avoid difficulties while crossing the border. 

Travel document – biometric passport/other

Documents that can be used to enter Ukraine: 

• Biometric passport (passport for traveling abroad)
• Diplomatic or service passport
• Valid child’s travel document
• Crew member ID card/seaman ID card
• Certificate for return to Ukraine

If your biometric passport has expired, you can extend it at Ukrainian embassy/consulate in your host country. In some countries (Spain, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Türkiye) you can also visit State Enterprise “Document” – the list of cities abroad and in Ukraine is available here. 

If you left Ukraine with an internal passport (book-shaped) or ID card, you still can return to Ukraine. To do so, obtain a certificate for return to Ukraine from Ukrainian embassy/consulate in your host country (the certificate is issued on the same day). It is also possible to return to Ukraine with an internal passport from Romania and Moldova (no return certificate needed). 

Citizens of Ukraine cannot be denied entry to Ukraine under no circumstances. 

Requirements to men of conscription age to receive consular services

Starting from 18 May 2024, men aged 18-60 are required to submit their individual military card along with other documents if they wish to receive consular services they selected (Source – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine). Men of conscription age can update/obtain their military cards through an app ⁠Резерв+ available for Android and iOS. 

It is not possible to receive a passport for traveling abroad without submitting an updated military card. However, for obtaining a certificate to return home an updated and valid individual military card (“військово-обліковий документ”) is not required. 

Birth registration

Birth registration of a person and determination of their origin for citizens of Ukraine who live or temporarily stay abroad are carried out by diplomatic missions or consulates of Ukraine (see the list of consulates here). 

The registration process takes place at the place of birth or at the place of residence of the child’s parents or one of them. In case of illness, death of the parents or for other reasons when it is impossible to register the birth, a written application can be submitted by relatives or other persons authorized by the representative of the health care institution in which the child was born or is currently. The application for registration must be submitted immediately, but no later than one month after the birth of the child and in the case of a stillborn child – no later than three days.  

To register birth, you should provide:  

• Original document from a medical institution about the birth of a child
• passports certifying the identity of the parents; 
• A birth certificate application (written or oral) that contains information about the father

Birth registration is free and based on its results, parents are issued a birth certificate. 

Obtain necessary documents for your pets from the veterinarian in your host country. 

During martial law in Ukraine the procedure of entry with pets is simplified.  To enter Ukraine with your pet, make sure you have: 

• An identification document issued by the EU member state – pet passport or international veterinary certificate.
• Vaccination against rabies.

For more information, please visit State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection. 

If you bought your vehicle abroad and want to transport it to Ukraine, you will need to clear customs and register the vehicle upon arrival (if you plan to stay in Ukraine). You can calculate the costs of customs clearance here. 

If you have owned a vehicle for over a year and have proof of registration abroad, you can bring the vehicle to Ukraine for personal use and be exempted from the standard customs clearance procedure. You will still need to register the vehicle and fill out the required forms. Please note that you will need to clear customs for the vehicle in case you decide to sell or gift it within two years of your stay in Ukraine.

If you came to the EU with a vehicle registered in Ukraine and the host country did not require a local registration, you do not need to take action. 

If you changed your Ukrainian registration to local registration of the host country and want to use the vehicle in Ukraine, you will need to register it in Ukraine again. For more information, please contact Governmental Customs Service of Ukraine. 

Depending on your type of employment in the host country, it might be your obligation to pay taxes to the state and all the associated costs with running your business. Contact your local tax authorities or opt for a tax consultant if necessary to get information on closing your business/consultancy or other. 

It is generally advised that people returning to Ukraine permanently should close their bank account prior to returning to Ukraine to avoid paying fees for the account that is active but not used. Please refer to the terms of use of your bank account to decide whether to keep it. 

Leaving the host country for over 30 days will affect the social benefits that you receive from the host country. If you decide to return to Ukraine permanently and you used to receive assistance from the host country, make sure that you inform the local migration office or the entity that sponsored you about your decision. 

Collect the documents that confirm your employment and work experience from your employer prior to returning to Ukraine. This will facilitate your employment in Ukraine. If there is a bilateral agreement between Ukraine and your host country, your work experience will be recognized in Ukraine and credited in full for pension calculation.  

Ukraine has agreements with 23 countries in total: Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Poland and others. Contact State employment center for more information on your specific case. 

Even if there is no bilateral agreement between your host country and Ukraine, your work experience will be recognized to determine the age of retirement (60, 63, 65). You will need to prove your experience with work records from your host country. However, only social contributions paid in Ukraine will be considered to estimate the amount of pension. 

The Ministry of Education and Science advises collecting all the documents from the previous school where the child studied: subjects taken, results of exams and evaluation system etc. If there are no documents, the child can pass a pre-evaluation exam and still enroll in Ukrainian school. Please note that the child cannot be refused to enroll in Ukrainian school even with incomplete documents or missed subjects. Read more about school enrollment from the Ministry of Education and Science. 

If you have paid health insurance, make sure to cancel it to avoid paying the fees while you are not in your host country. In some cases, the insurance will be terminated automatically after some time, in other cases you will be charged a full amount if you do not inform the insurance provider. 

Collect your medical records from your general practitioner so you can continue treatment in Ukraine. Once in Ukraine, you can select a family doctor and get the necessary treatment/prescriptions. 

How can I travel to Ukraine?

Currently, Ukrainian airspace is closed so to return you will need to use other means of transportation such as bus, train or private vehicle. There are regular train connections from Ukraine’s neighboring countries, as well as bus connections from all EU countries. You might check Ukrainian Railways site for planning an international route and travel by train. Carefully plan your route and be prepared for a lengthy trip.  

Can I return to Ukraine free of charge?

We do not know of any transportation that is free of charge and is safe for returns. However, 5 countries provide general financial assistance for returns: Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Czech Republic. Please contact your local migration offices for more information. Additionally, the Netherlands provide support with travel arrangements, and Belgium sponsors bus trips to major Ukrainian cities and limited reintegration support after individual assessment. 

• Anonymous hotline regarding human trafficking countermeasures and consultations for migrants: 0 800 505 501 / 527 from 8:00–20:00 7 days per week. Visit 527 for more information. 
• Prevention of domestic violence, child rights, human trafficking and gender discrimination: La Strada 0800500225 
• Social, psychological, legal support for anyone, who has questions related to the war or needs assistance: Survivor Relief Centers 

• Low-income families that returned from abroad and stayed there over 90 days, even if their able to work family members are unemployed and did not pay a Single Social Contribution (“ЄСВ”) during the 3-month period prior to the application
• IDP families that did not work or did not pay a Single Social Contribution (“ЄСВ”) in the 3-month period prior to the application

Conditions for receiving assistance: 

• Cash assistance will be provided for 6 months
• Able-bodied family members should either register with the Employment Center or find work within 2 months after receiving cash assistance

You can enroll for social assistance: 

• In person through executive offices of villages, settlements, and city councils
• By sending a registered mail with necessary documentation

• Online – through the Ministry of Social Policy site

More details about documents required for enrollment, who is considered a family member, and more is available on Diia.

The amount of assistance is defined as the difference between the subsistence minimum for a family and the average monthly total income of a low-income family.