The need to obtain an immigration permit or a residence permit, to acquire the citizenship of Ukraine or simply to extend their stay in Ukraine arises in foreign citizens with ever increasing frequency.

Legal advice to non-residents, who currently reside in Ukraine, has become one of the most sought-after services in recent years.

The need to obtain an immigration permit or a residence permit, to acquire the citizenship of Ukraine or simply to extend their stay in Ukraine arises in foreign citizens with ever increasing frequency.

Obtaining the necessary permits and documents in a foreign country is frequently accompanied with psychological and language barriers, and quite often it leads to abandonment of one’s plans to do it. Do not give up on your plans. Our attorney company will help you to gather the necessary documents; we will accompany you until you reach your goal.

First of all, our attorney company recommends you to consult our immigration attorney and to get help with paperwork in order to avoid mistakes and problems with the migration service. We can also accompany you during your visit to the immigration service, which is especially important for foreigners, who do not speak Ukrainian or Russian.

Temporary residence permit Ukraine

Temporary residence permit –  it’s a document  that allows  a right of a foreigner or stateless persons to live on a territory of foreign country for a certain period (more than 90 days)  on the grounds defined by the legislation.

It is easier to receive than a permanent residence permit. In Ukraine legislation are different  than another countries  including procedure of obtaining a temporary residence permit. That’s why these specifics are disclosed in this article.

How to receive Temporary residence permit in Ukraine?

If you want to get  Temporary residence permit in any country you  need to pass not one step, as this procedure is enough complicated.. Certificate of temporary residence permit in Ukraine provides the right to stay foreigners in the country for a certain period of time. Everyone who receives a residence permit has the same rights as other residents of Ukraine.

You don’t have to get  a residence permit in only one case – if you stay in Ukraine for less than 90 days. You can freely stay in Ukraine for such period.

So, if you purposefully decide to live in Ukraine for more than 90 days, you  need   to read the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless persons”. Even  if you will get a temporary residence permit, it will be valid only for one year.

Documents for obtaining of temporary residence permit in Ukraine

There is a special package of documents required to obtain a temporary residence permit in Ukraine.

To obtain a temporary residence permit in Ukraine, you will need the following documents:

1. Passport document of a foreigner or a stateless person;
2. Application forms of obtaining a temporary residence;
3. Request from a host party to issue a temporary residence permit in Ukraine;
4. Ukrainian translation of passport pages with personal data (notarized).
5. Medical insurance;
6. Document that certifies of no criminal record in Ukraine;
7. Photos 3.5×4.5 cm.(4 matte copies);
8. Ukrainian ID number if available (notarized copy);
9. Receipt confirming the payment for SMSU services and payment of State duty.

The documents of the last category usually include statements from the employer, the university, the religious community, etc. In addition to these documents you need to carry envelopes and a folder with a binder.

You can contact our experts on one of the numbers on the site, and we will gladly provide you qualified assistance on any legal issues. We will be happy to help you resolve your problems and find solutions.

Each foreign citizen and stateless persons  can obtain a temporary residence permit in Ukraine.

Verification of documents can lasts within 15 days. After the end of this term you will receive an answer to your application. Thereafter you need to register your place of residence within 10 days.

Grounds for receiving temporary residence permition

There is a standard list of grounds for obtaining a temporary residence permit by a citizen of another country:

• you want to employment in Ukraine;
• you want to reunite with the family ( if husband wife is a citizen of Ukraine);
• you want to reunite with the family  (if husband wife or children has a temporary residence permit in Ukraine);
• you want to realize international technical assistance;
• you are member in a religious organization;
• you want to study in Ukraine;
• you are employee in affiliate foreign company ;
• you deal in volunteering, cultural, educational, scientific work;
• you are correspondent or foreign mass media worker;

In these cases, you can receive a temporary residence permit in Ukraine. However, there are restriction, imposed by law, in which you can be denied on a temporary residence permit in Ukraine. These grounds include the existence of convictions, and other circumstances described in the Constitution of Ukraine.

How long is a temporary residence permit issued in Ukraine?

In Ukraine, you can get a temporary residence permit for a 90 days. In the future, you can extend a term.  If you will need  a prolongation term you must submit a statement (not earlier than 10 and not later than 3 days before the end of term).

A residence permit can also be canceled ahead of time. You can cancel it yourself.

Also it’s possible, for example, when a worker is dismissed, graduating university and another grounds.  Full support you can get in our lawyers.

Visa – is an official (in the form of a special document or a mark in a foreign passport) permission enter Ukraine for a certain period.

One of the key documents for opening a visa is an invitation that is drawn up individual or legal entity that acts as a host for a foreigner.

Types of visas for foreigners in Ukraine:

• Short term visa C
• Long-term visa D
• Visa on arrival

Short-term visa C allows the holder to stay in Ukraine for a certain period of time, in depending on the duration of the visa. This category, in accordance with the purpose of the visa holder’s trip, may be:

• Single entry – allows a foreigner to enter and leave the country once
• Double – allows a foreigner to visit the country twice during the visa validity period
• Multiple – allows a foreigner to visit the country many times and stay in Ukraine no more than 90 days within six months.

Long-term visa D is issued to persons who are allowed to study, work or reside permanently in Ukraine. This category, in accordance with the purpose of the visa holder’s trip, may be:

• Single – for those foreigners who must be in Ukraine certain the amount of time for a particular purpose, after which they must leave the country.
• Multiple – allows a foreigner to enter / leave the country an unlimited number time and free to move around Ukraine.

Visa on arrival – issued to a foreigner whose purpose is a tourist or business visit Of Ukraine. Issued for a period of 15 days without further renewal.

Procedure of invitation issuing for visa to Ukraine

If you want to get an invitation for short term Visa C as a foreign guest to Ukraine you will have to make a few steps. First of them is collecting the documents, prescribed below:

• Your passport or other identifying document copy (good scan or photo is needed);
• Your direct dates of visit to Ukraine (needed for invitation);
• Your place of stay (hotel or flat adress) or if you want we provide it;
• Information that you have financial ability to cover the costs of stay in Ukraine smth like 1-2 thousand USD;
• Insuarance that cover health injuries in Ukraine.
• Invitation to Ukraine (business or private)

Afterwards we will have to fill in an application form for Embassy in your Country. It’s example may be found on the Internet web site of Ukraine VFS or Ministry of foreign affairs. Be very careful if filling in the blank by yourself, as any mistake is a ground for refusal in giving you the invitation.

The applications for invitations are usually examined during 20 days. This term can be shortened up to 10 days for double payment. There are some categories of citizens who are free from fee.

Short and long-term visas generally cover a period ranging from 90 to 180 days (3 months to 6 months).

So just the following documents are required to process a visa application:

• The client’s passport
• A duly completed visa application
• Four passport photos (3.5 x 4.5 cm)
• Proof of health insurance coverage
• Copies of the client’s bank statements proving they can sustain themselves for the duration of their stay in Ukrainian territory

Additional documentation might be required on a case-by-case basis or can be easiely provided by our company SLA Migration, and depending on the client’s country of origin.

ADVANTAGES OF OBTAINING WORK PERMIT IN UKRAINE

• official employment in Ukraine within the framework of legislation
• the possibility of issuing a temporary residence permit in Ukraine on the basis of employment
• social guarantees according to the labor legislation of Ukraine
• the opportunity to confirm the income received in Ukraine
• Schengen visas are easier to obtain

To hire a non-resident Ukrainian employer has to get a work permit for this person. If a company fails to get this permit it will bear a responsibility in a form of a fine (20 minimum salaries). The State Employment Service of Ukraine issues such permit. It is issued for a concrete person occupying a concrete position in the company, and is valid during 1 year with a possibility of annual prolongation. The entire procedure has many nuances connected with obligatory actions and terms, during which these actions are to be done. Thus, there may be a necessity to ask professional lawyers for help.

Peculiarities of work permit obtaining

Fifteen days before submitting documents for a work permit an employer has to submit to the State Employment Service information that there is a demand for the profession the foreigner will occupy. This information is to be approved during 15 days. Then the employer can submit the rest of the documents. The State Employment Service will examine them and afterwards, if they make a positive decision concerning the work permit, the employer has to pay a state fee (4 minimum salaries). Only if the fee is paid the State Employment Service issues the very work permit to the employer. Foreigners can be appointed for leadership positions if they are founders or cofounders of the Ukrainian company that employs them. The work permit is a legal basis for obtaining a temporal residence permit that may be also prolonged annually. One should keep in mind that an application for work permit prolongation is to be submitted not later than 20 days before the expiation date.

The list of documents needed

• Copy of diploma or other document of education of the potential employee;
• A copy of his passport;
• Two photos 35 x 45 mm on matte paper;
• Medical certificates;
• Certificate confirming that the position the foreigner is going to occupy is not connected with the state secret (with the signature and seal of the employer);
• Certificate of previous conviction absence (non-conviction certificate);
• Translation of these documents into Ukrainian (must be legalized or apostilled if needed).

Moreover, other documents may be necessary: statutory documents of the company-employer, power of attorney (if the documents are submitted by a representative), and others – their exhaustive list depends on separate cases.

An example of application that is also to be filled in and submitted to the State Employment Service, may be found on the Internet or be given by the officials of the Service.

After receiving your work permit, do not hesitate to start the procedure of temporal residence permit obtaining.

Frequently asked qestions by foreigners while obtaining a work permit:
– Can foreigner get appostille for diploma in Ukraine which is required for work permits for foreigners?
The procedure of getting apostille documents is carried out only in the country of origin of the foreigner. To get appostille for document from another country in Ukraine is impossible.

– Are all categories of foreigners, including directors of companies required to submit a diploma of education to obtain a work permit?
Yes, all foreigners applying for work permit must provide duly certified copy of education.

– Does the foreigner shall to file two Clearance (non-conviction certificates) for obtaining a work permit, one from the country of origin and one from Ukraine?
Foreigner takes only a certificate of good conduct, a foreigner at the time of filing for a work permit is located in the Ukraine, it is sufficient Clearance issued in Ukraine; and if he gives permission to work remotely, you need to properly attested certificate of good conduct from the country of the foreigner.

– Can the family members of a foreigner who received a residence permit to be eligible for accommodation in Ukraine?
Yes, the wife and children of a foreigner who is in Ukraine on the basis of a work permit have the right to also get a temporary residence permit for the duration of the work permit.

Residence registration Ukraine

Registration of residence is an important step when moving to a new residence place. Registration is required for both citizens of Ukraine and foreigners who permanently or temporarily live here. Residence registration will be also needed when you draw up documents such as a passport or residence permit.

To get a registered residence place it is worth applying to professionals.

What is residence registration?

Residence registration is an instrument of state control over the migration processes in Ukraine. This institute dates back to Russian empire and the Soviet Union. After obtaining Ukraine independence, the residence registration mechanism has changed significantly. Now, it is not a method of control and became a registration system that works only to protect the interests of citizens.

Currently, residence registration is needed for receiving official correspondence. Now the state does not control the number of people registered in one apartment, sanitary norms or proprietary status of citizens. Each person choses its residence place independently and only then inform the state.

Timing and results of residence registration

Registration is compulsory. Under the law, after you have cancelled residence registration at your former address, or come to Ukraine for permanent or temporary residence, you have thirty days to register your residence place. Staying in Ukraine without residence registration causes legal responsibility in a form of a fine. A special stamp in your residence permit is a confirmation of a proper residence registration. Any data regarding your place of residence is considered personal information; only you, your homeowner and public officer that registered your residence place.

How to make residence registration in Kyiv?

To register residence in Kyiv one must apply to the Center of administrative services providing of the district you are going to be registered in, and fill in an application. An example may be found at the very Center. The following documents are to be submitted as well:

• Passport (for foreigners – temporary or permanent residence permit);
• Birth certificate (for minors);
• Bank receipt of paying state fee;
• Documents confirming real estate ownership.

If you change your address in Ukraine, you have to cancel your former registration and make a new one. These actions can be made simultaneously.

If there are several co-owners of the apartment you are going to be registered at, you must submit their written notarized consents to your registration. As for timing, registry office has three working days to register your new place of residence.

Some nuances of residence registration

If you have debts confirmed by court decision, are subject to military conscription or are a party to the court dispute, if you are going for a long time to leave the place of residence, you will need to notify the state of its location.

And what if you are a real estate owner and want somebody (who is registered) to leave your apartment? Usually, if a person doesn’t want to cancel his/her registration, the matter is taken to court. The claimant must prove that the defendant doesn’t use the dwelling and thus, loses his right to use the apartment. The court decision is a ground for registration cancellation.

A child under 14 is usually registered at its parents’ address or at the address of one parent (but in this case a notarized consent of another parent is required). A person at the age of 14 is entitled to chose its place of residence independently.

FAQ (Frequently asked qestions by immigrants in Ukraine):
– Can a foreigner register address immediately in his/her passport?
No. To register address a foreigner must first get a temporary or permanent residence card.

– Can a foreigner buy residence? What are the risks for a foreigner if he buys residence (accommodation registration)?
You can often see such inquiries as foreigners buy residence in Kyiv, temporary address in Kyiv etc.. The problem is that foreigners who have received a temporary residence permit (or certificate of permanent residence) should definitely register the residing address. But at the same time, landlords (apartment owners) doesn’t want to provide them with such address registration, even if foreigners offer money for such registration. As often, foreigners are not written out of the apartment and then the owners should apply to the courts. Therefore, foreigners have to seek registration in Kyiv for the money. If a foreigner buys a residence permit (residing address), he/she essentially lived in another apartment. For a foreigner can pull it risks not receiving the official notice or summons etc. At the same time, we don’t hear about immigration officers checking apartment with residing foreigners in Kyiv.

CITIZENSHIP IN UKRAINE

Citizenship in Ukraine. Subject to the procedures and requirements established at the legislative level, citizens of other states can obtain Ukrainian citizenship. And although the rules and the algorithm are spelled out, in fact, one often comes across a bureaucratic component.

Interested parties for a long time have to collect all sorts of documents. Part of foreign citizens, faced with difficulties in the implementation of the conceived citizenship.

If you need citizenship in Ukraine and want to reduce the risk of refusal to zero, then you should contact the specialists of Eternity Law International. Practical experience of the team, focus on the achievement of results and legal work will help to avoid problems and significantly speed up the process.

REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING CITIZENSHIP

The process of thorough verification by a non-resident of the country influences the decision, and in order to pass it, one must meet a number of established criteria.

Obtaining Ukrainian citizenship is possible under the following conditions:

1. Recognize and respect constitutional rights, duties, and laws.
2. Submit a declaration confirming the absence of citizenship in other states, or the refusal of existing one. Foreigners who have citizenship of another country must submit a document on its termination. Some countries of the world perform this procedure automatically, so this document is not submit.
3. Constantly residing on the territory of Ukraine for at least 5 years, observing the rules and laws.
4. Understanding and minimum level of proficiency in Ukrainian.

Since January 2016, the procedure for obtaining Ukrainian citizenship has been greatly simplify.

Bases on the new document, the minimum stay in the country for such persons is reduce to 3 years. An additional advantage of the law is the absence of the need to issue an immigration permit.

DOCUMENTS – CITIZENSHIP IN UKRAINE

Before proceeding with the implementation of the citizenship plan, the candidate should be patient and time consuming. The list of required to collect papers is quite long. In this case, the process of registration of Ukrainian citizenship takes place in a certain order, prescribed at the legislative level.

To begin with, a foreign citizen must make a written statement addressed to the current President of the country. The application must be register in the migration service at the place of residence of the applicant.

In the event that a non-resident is outside Ukraine, the registration of the application takes place at the consular center.

Additionally, you will need to collect the following list of documentation:

1. personal photo (3 pcs.);
2. certificate indicating the absence of other citizenship;
3. a document in the text of which indicates the obligation to terminate the existing citizenship;
4. certificate that confirms the period of residence in Ukraine for 5 years;
5. a document proving that the state language of Ukraine is at the required level;
6. certificate of disability (if available).

Invitation to Ukraine

If you need to invite a relative, friend, business partner of a non-resident to Ukraine, you first of all need to arrange an invitation to Ukraine. It is an invitation that is a document that allows foreigners to obtain a visa at a diplomatic mission or consulate of Ukraine abroad to visit Ukraine. Since April 2017, the list of documents for processing the invitation has been changed.

Invitations depend on the purpose of visiting a foreigner of Ukraine and can be of 2 types:

•  Private invitation – from an individual who is the receiving party
•  Business invitation – from a legal entity.

Private invitation (invitation of a foreigner from an individual)

Private invitation – is made out mainly for visiting Ukraine for tourist purposes. Also, when entering Ukraine by private invitation, a foreigner can marry a citizen of Ukraine or a foreigner who already legally resides on the territory of our state. The term of stay of a foreigner under a private invitation is up to 90 days during six months. A private invitation can be issued on behalf of any person who legally resides on the territory of Ukraine (including a Ukrainian citizen, a person residing on the territory of Ukraine on the basis of a temporary or permanent residence permit, etc.).

Private invitation is a notarized document, the main requisites of which are:

•  the surname, name, patronymic of the individual, the details of his passport document and the permanent or temporary residence (for foreigners and stateless persons), address of residence;
•  surname, name, patronymic of the invited person, information on his date and place of birth, citizenship, passport details, place of residence, purpose of the trip, the period of the planned visit to Ukraine, number of entries and place of residence in Ukraine
•  the obligation of an individual to incur the possible costs associated with the stay and departure from Ukraine of the invited person.

Copies of documents of the receiving party – an individual are also attached to the invitation.

Business invitation (invitation of a foreigner from a legal entity)

A business invitation is issued if the purpose of visiting a foreigner of Ukraine is to consider the possibility of finding a job in Ukraine, opening a business in Ukraine, and also as a business partnership with legal entities of Ukraine. The term of stay of a foreigner under a private invitation is up to 90 days for six months.

Business invitation is a statement issued on the corporate letterhead of a legal entity, certified by the signature of the head of the legal entity and the seal. The main requisites of this document are:

•  number of the USR
•  registration number
•  date, stamp, and signature
•  the data of the invited person: surname, name, patronymic, information about the date and place of birth, citizenship, passport details, place of residence, purpose of the trip, the period of the planned visit to Ukraine , number of entries and place of residence in Ukraine
•  the obligation of the legal entity to incur the possible costs associated with the stay and departure from Ukraine of the invited person.