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Statuses
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In Ukraine, service members who have participated in combat operations, meaning those who have carried out combat tasks directly on the contact line, even for at least one day, are eligible to obtain a special status and ID. These service members acquire veteran status.
Currently, there are two such statuses:
In practice, the processing is handled by your military unit – your commander or personal department collects the documents and submits the application on your behalf. You will need to sign several documents. However, you can do this on your own if necessary.
How to Apply on Your Own
For most foreigners (AFU, NGU)
1. Obtain Form No. 6 certificate from your military unit – it confirms your participation in combat operations. If Form No. 6 is not available, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs may independently request the necessary documents, but this may take up to 15 days.
2. Submit the application together with the certificate to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine in one of the following ways: by mail, through an Administrative Service Center – available in most citie, by email: dpi@mva.gov.ua
3. Wait for the decision of the interagency commission. The response will be sent to the contact information you provided in the application. If approved, a Combatant ID (UBD) will be issued. In case of denial, you may reapply after addressing the reasons for denial.
For foreigners in the intelligence body of the Ministry of Defense – the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
1. Submit a report to your immediate commander requesting issuance of Form No. 6 certificate.
2. Prepare a set of documents:
● Application for granting combatant status
● Form No. 6 certificate
● Consent to the personal data processing
● Copy of passport and taxpayer identification number (TIN (РНОКПП))
● Two color photographs 3×4 cm (face should occupy 65-70% of the photo)
3. Submit the package to the personal department of your subunit – it will forward the documents to the commission. A decision should be made within one month, but under martial law in practice this may take longer.
After obtaining UBD status, if the service member has a residence permit or Ukrainian citizenship, they can upload their electronic veteran ID in the Diia state app.
A person with a war-related disability is a service member who has acquired a disability as a result of injury, post-concussion syndrome, mutilation, or illness sustained while defending Ukraine, performing military duties, or related to service on the front line.
A key feature of this war-related disability status is the presence of:
If an injury sustained during participation in combat operations has resulted in disability, service members are entitled to obtain war-related disability status.
The application must be submitted by the service member himself/herself to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine (the central government body responsible for veteran policy and decision-making on the status):
● By mail: 34 Khreschatyk St, Kyiv, 01001
● Through an Administrative Service Center This is a government institution where citizens can apply for various administrative services
Medical documents must be provided (an EKOPFO (Expert Teams For Assessing Person's Daily Functioning) conclusion or Medical and Social Expert Commission (MSEC) certificate, i.e., a medical commission of Ukraine that issued a document confirming the disability group), as well as documents confirming participation in combat operations. See more details on this in the Medical Care section.
In addition, Form No. 6 certificate is required for this purpose. Otherwise, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs will officially request the necessary documents from authorized bodies (response will be sent within up to 15 days).
The decision on granting status is made by an interagency commission, after which, in case of approval, the applicant receives the corresponding ID. In case of denial, there is also the possibility to reapply.
For individuals with a war-related disability and a permanent disability group, a permanent ID is issued; for other individuals with a war-related disability, the ID is issued for the duration of the established disability group. If the disability is extended by a decision of the EKOPFO, a new form with the corresponding entry is added to the ID.
If a veteran’s ID is lost or damaged, the veteran can submit an application to the office where the ID was originally issued, requesting a replacement.
In Ukraine, service members who have obtained combatant status are entitled to a range of government social benefits (i.e., free or partially subsidized services), under the law.
These benefits are provided by the state and cover various areas of life: healthcare, transportation, housing, etc.
Important: Most benefits are available if you have an official registered place of residence in Ukraine. Otherwise, it may be difficult or impossible to access them. Registering a place of residence in Ukraine is only possible if you have a temporary/permanent residence permit or Ukrainian citizenship, through an Administrative Service Center.
The benefits available to combatants include:
Prepare a written appeal that includes:
If you are serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, send your complaint to the Main Directorate for the Protection of Service Members’ Rights under the Ministry of Defense at the following email: mpd@mod.gov.ua.
If you are serving in the National Guard of Ukraine, contact the Main Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine at the following email: public-info@ngu.gov.ua
Anonymous appeals are not considered.
You may also submit an appeal to the Military Ombudsman by email: skarha@milomb.gov.ua
Regarding issues related to your veteran status – combatant (UBD) or war-related disability – you may contact the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine:
Email: dpi@mva.gov.ua
Hotline: 0 800 505 217
In addition, there are several organizations that can provide advice and assistance:
Hotline number: 0 800 213 103
Hotline number: 0800 308 100