A residence permit is a document proving the identity of a foreigner and giving him the right to legally reside on the territory of Ukraine for a long period of time. It is issued for a specific limited period, depending on the basis on which you receive this document.
During the period of martial law, the work of the divisions of the migration service and the State Enterprise “Polygraph Combine “Ukraine” is temporarily suspended. Accordingly, documents are not produced and are not issued to applicants. Unfortunately, during this period, foreigners may expire their legal residence permit in Ukraine.
Due to the fact that now there are almost no explanations for foreigners whose documents for staying in Ukraine are expiring, our lawyers will tell you how to proceed and give practical advice.
What should I do if my residence permit expires during martial law?
First, you should check the documents that you already have.
- If you have a temporary residence permit, then check the validity of the document on the front side of the form.
- A permanent residence permit (except for a new sample in the form of an ID-card) is subject to exchange upon reaching the age of 25 and 45 or in the event of a change in information (last name, first name, etc.);
- If you have a visa, then you should check the validity period indicated on the visa label;
- If you are on the territory of Ukraine without a visa, the period in total is 90 days during the last 180 days.
If your temporary or permanent residence permit in Ukraine expired during martial law, you can present to the migration service a document that has expired or that you did not have time to update in accordance with applicable law. For example, old-style views that should have been updated at 25 and 45 years old.
That is, in the conditions of martial law, while ensuring the measures of the legal regime, you have the legal right to present a document for identification and confirmation of a special status (legal stay in Ukraine), which has expired. Such a situation may arise when checking documents at checkpoints, inspecting a vehicle, things, premises, etc.
Important! During martial law, fines are not applied to foreigners.
Subsequently, as soon as the divisions of the migration service of Ukraine resume, official clarifications and an appropriate algorithm of actions will appear. Immediately after this, it is necessary to apply for the execution of relevant documents within a certain time frame in order to avoid penalties.
Our lawyers will study your situation in detail, prepare the necessary package of documents and help you not to miss the deadlines.