Documents required to take abroad from Ukraine

The question of “Who can leave Ukraine” was not an acute issue till February 2022. Every law-abiding Ukrainian with an international passport could cross the border at any checkpoint.

With the outbreak of military activities and the imposition of martial law, the number of people allowed to travel abroad was significantly reduced, particularly men of military age. However, there is still a wide list of groups of people who are not subject to the ban.

Who can go abroad

Women (ineligible for military duty), elderly people, and children can cross the border. But there are some drawbacks: even though many official procedures for taking children abroad have been simplified, they have not been completely eliminated.

Documents required to cross the border with children

According to current legislation in Ukraine, children under the age of 16 are not allowed to travel abroad on their own. They can travel only accompanied by an adult. For this purpose, it is necessary to provide the following documents:

1. For one of the parents and guardians: the child’s original birth certificate or a passport in the form of an ID card for a child aged 14 or older.
2. For grandparents, stepparents, and adult siblings: in addition to the child’s birth certificate or passport, a document that can confirm kinship and a statement of one of the parents certified by the guardianship authority are required.
3. For other relatives (aunts/uncles, adult step siblings, and other relatives): a child’s birth certificate or passport, a certified written consent of one of the parents, and a document confirming the identity of the accompanying person are required.

These documents for traveling abroad only seem to be an unnecessary precaution. It enables the verification of the legality of the process and prevents the unauthorized transportation of minors abroad.

How men can cross the border

The list of requirements and documents for traveling abroad is constantly changing for this group of people. One thing is for sure: only men of non-military age (under 18 and over 60) and persons who have been taken off from the military register can cross the border without any restriction. The rest are subject to conditions that will be the topic of the next part.

Requirements for men of military age to go abroad

To cross the border, you must belong to one of the categories described in the Law on Mobilization and other regulations. Who can cross the border in 2024:

• men taken off from the military register;
• those who have a deferment from the draft;
• those whose close relatives (spouses, children, parents, siblings) were killed or went missing as a result of military actions;
• those accompanying a person with a 1 or 2-degree disability or a seriously ill relative;
• parents with three or more minor children who have no alimony arrears for more than three months;

single parents;

• men with permanent residence abroad;
• full-time students of a foreign university;
• military men who need treatment, rehabilitation, or training abroad;
• some professionals.

For all these groups, documentary confirmation is strictly required. In another case, you can’t cross the border.

What documents are required at the checkpoint

An international passport is required to leave Ukraine. For men of military age, an additional requirement was introduced in July 2024: a document of registration for military service. For those who have a deferment from the draft, the following documents are required: an extract from the recruitment center report, a disability evaluation board findings, and a record concerning deferment from the draft in the document of registration for military service are required.

For the other groups of military-age men who fall under the exceptions described above, documentary proof is required. This includes documents confirming disability, kinship, etc. There is no need to translate it for crossing the border. However, if you decide to start a new life in another country, a high-quality translation of your diploma, employment record, or apostille will be a stepping stone.

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