A document such as a temporary residence permit in Ukraine is the only way in our country to legally stay and reside on its territory for more than 6 months and up to 3 years.
In order for a foreigner arriving in Ukraine to obtain such a special legal document, there are several options. In this situation, everything is quite simple and transparent. A residence permit in Ukraine can be obtained if a foreigner needs employment in our country, if he or she marries a citizen of Ukraine, is coming to study at a local university, or is planning to reunite with family. There are also other grounds for obtaining such a document, but the main ones have been mentioned above.
If there is a basis, what to do next to obtain a residence permit?
After the basis for obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine has been determined, a package of documents is gathered and submitted to the State Migration Service. If all applications are filled out correctly and the list of documents meets the requirements, the foreigner will receive a residence permit in Ukraine within 2 weeks from the date of application submission. After the residence permit is issued, it is also mandatory to register the residence within 30 calendar days. To register, one must contact the territorial migration service at the place of residence.
The documents required for processing are quite standard and should not cause any issues: passport, diploma of higher education (if available), insurance policy, document confirming the payment of state fees, and a document confirming financial status to rent or buy a home in Ukraine. Recently, foreigners are no longer required to bring photos, as each foreigner is photographed personally to obtain the document.
After the expiration of the residence period, it is possible to apply for an extension of the residence permit, which is quite simple, as less time and paperwork are needed for renewal of such a document.
Details of obtaining a residence permit
Obtaining a document that allows legal residence in Ukraine is quite simple, but in some cases, premature cancellation of the residence permit may occur. The following situations may apply:
- when a foreigner is sentenced to imprisonment in our country;
- when the actions of a foreigner or a stateless person threaten national security, public order, health, or the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of other citizens of Ukraine;
- when the authorized body has decided on the forced return of the foreigner or stateless person outside Ukraine.
Changes in legislation
In January 2019, some changes to migration legislation came into effect in our country, namely:
- a new form for both temporary and permanent residence permits is being introduced;
- the permanent residence permit must be reissued every 10 years;
- documents for extending a temporary residence permit should be submitted no later than 15 working days before the expiration of the document;
- minors of foreigners are no longer included in the temporary residence permit (they are now documented separately);
- the extension of temporary residence occurs with the exchange of the permit, meaning a new form is issued each time, while old forms remain valid for the entire duration for which they were issued.
All these nuances should be considered by foreigners arriving in Ukraine to obtain a temporary or permanent residence permit. Therefore, it is best to use the services of qualified lawyers who can help quickly and without unnecessary problems to obtain all the necessary documents in government agencies, saving both time and nerves.