Entry and Exit of Foreign Military Personnel

Contents

Entry To Ukraine

Required Documents

If there is a visa-free regime agreement between Ukraine and your country, you must have a valid passport to cross the border.

If such an agreement does not exist, a valid Ukrainian visa is required.

If you are already serving, you need the following to cross the border:

• An international passport

• A military ID, i.e. a military service book, plastic ID or electronic ID (Armed Forces of Ukraine), or service ID (National Guard of Ukraine)

Starting from May 2026, a temporary residence permit will also be required.

Obtaining a Visa

There are several types of visas:

• Type C visa: short-term, for temporary stay

• Type D visa: long-term, for extended stay (required if you plan to obtain a temporary residence permit later)

If your country has a visa-free regime with Ukraine, you may enter without a visa and stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period. During this time, you may apply for documents for long-term stay; however, you must submit them no later than 15 days before the end of the permitted period.

To obtain a visa, apply to a Ukrainian embassy/consulate or the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Documents may be submitted no earlier than three months before the planned entry.

To obtain a visa, the following basic documents are required (supplemented depending on the grounds for obtaining visa):

• Passport – valid for at least three months after the planned departure date from Ukraine, with at least two blank pages, and issued within the last 10 years.

• A completed and signed visa application form. The visa application form can be found here.

• One color photograph (35×45 mm).

• Health insurance with coverage of at least EUR 30,000.

• Proof of sufficient financial resources for the entire stay.

• A receipt confirming payment of the consular fee.

Depending on the basis, additional documents must be attached: An invitation from a government authority, government institution, state enterprise, or state organization (for a Type C visa), or a copy of the decision granting an immigration permit issued by the State Migration Service (for a Type D visa)

A visa may be denied if the foreigner who:

• Poses a threat to national security or public order of Ukraine

• Is listed in the Ukrainian entry ban database

• Submitted an invalid or someone else’s passport

• Provided false information or forged documents

• Does not have health insurance

• Does not have sufficient financial resources

• Cannot confirm the purpose of their visit

• Cannot prove intent to leave Ukraine before visa expiration

• Refused to provide biometric data

Right to leave

If you are legally in Ukraine, you have the right to leave the country freely at any time.

In certain cases, a court or investigative authorities may temporarily restrict departure, specifically if:

• You are suspected of a crime or a case is under court review – the restriction applies until criminal proceedings are completed (for example, absence without leave)

• You have been convicted for a crime – until the sentence is served or you are released

• Departure contradicts national security interests – until the circumstances are resolved

• You have outstanding debts to private persons or organizations in Ukraine: A court may temporarily restrict departure until they are repaid

Stay on the Territory of Ukraine During Service and After Discharge

During the military service, a foreigner is considered to be legally staying on the territory of Ukraine. Documents confirming this fact include a military ID, i.e. a military service book, plastic ID or electronic ID (Armed Forces of Ukraine), certificates or service ID (National Guard of Ukraine). After discharge from military service, foreigners may currently stay on the territory of Ukraine for 3 months.

Starting from May 2026, a temporary residence permit will serve as confirmation of legal stay. The period of legal stay in Ukraine has also been changed.

Foreigners who are already serving must obtain such a permit by November 2026. For those who are just joining the military, it will be issued after signing the contract.

Foreigners who have been discharged from military service will be able to legally stay in Ukraine for 6 months after receiving a temporary residence permit.

However, this does not apply to foreigners whose contract was terminated (dissolved) due to:

• Court sentence involving imprisonment or restriction of liberty

• Failure to pass the probationary period

• Unsuitability for the position

• Refusal to undergo a polygraph test

In such cases, the foreigner is required to leave the territory of Ukraine immediately after the contract termination (dissolution).