Permanent Residency Permit in Ukraine in 2026

A permanent residency permit is an indefinite document that gives a foreigner the right to live in Ukraine long-term, travel in and out freely, and work for any company without a separate work permit. “Indefinite” means the card itself must formally be renewed every 10 years. However, you only need to have the original grounds for the permanent residency permit (an immigration permit, plus a visa or a temporary residency permit) at the moment of your first application.

A temporary residency permit, by contrast, is limited in time and tied to a specific ground: work, study, marriage, investment and so on. It requires a type D visa. The ground must be valid for the entire period of the permit validity and be prolongated every time the permit must be renewed.

Two Steps: Immigration Permit → Permanent Residency Permit

You can’t get a permanent residency permit straight away. The process has two steps, one after the other.

An immigration permit is valid for one year from the date it is issued. This time is given for the permanent residency permit.

An immigration permit is not an identity document. It only confirms your right to immigrate. The only document which proves your identity and special status is the permanent residency permit itself. Keep in mind that the permanent residency permit does not prove citizenship, and the law requires foreigners to hold a valid passport (with exceptions for some categories of people). In general, this means the permanent residency permit is valid only together with a valid passport.

Grounds Outside the Quota

An immigration permit outside the quota does not depend on the annual limit set by the Cabinet of Ministers. This is the most predictable route to a permanent residency permit.

Main categories:

• Marriage of more than 2 years. Spouse of the Ukrainian citizen.
• Parents and children of Ukrainian citizens.
• Guardians and custodians of Ukrainian citizens, as well as people under the guardianship or custodianship of Ukrainian citizens.
• Ukrainian origin: people who have the right to acquire citizenship by territorial origin, and foreign Ukrainians.
• Families of fallen service members (Ukrainian Armed Forces, State Special Transport Service or National Guard): spouses, children under 18 and their parents.
• People whose immigration is in Ukraine’s state interest.
• Stateless persons who have lived in Ukraine for 2 years on a temporary residency permit since being recognized as stateless.

Foreign Ukrainians

Foreign Ukrainian is a special status for a person who is not a Ukrainian citizen (a foreigner or stateless person) and who has Ukrainian ethnic origin. The status is granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and confirmed by a Foreign Ukrainian ID. Origin is proven with documents (archive statements, birth, marriage or death certificates) or with testimony from Ukrainian citizens, foreign Ukrainians or registered communities of foreign Ukrainians.

The Foreign Ukrainian ID is a standalone ground for an immigration permit and, later, a permanent residency permit. The foreign Ukrainian can apply, and so can their spouse and children, in case they entered simultaneously and stay in Ukraine together.

One year after receiving foreign Ukrainian status, and after one year of permanent stay in Ukraine, a person with this status can apply for Ukrainian citizenship.

Grounds Within the Quota

The immigration quota is set by the Cabinet of Ministers, which decides the maximum number of permits per year for each category.

Who can use the quota:

• Scientists and cultural figures whose immigration is in Ukraine’s interests.
• Highly qualified specialists and workers (with approval from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine) and their family members, if they enter together: a spouse and children under 18.
• Investors who have invested at least $100,000.
• Siblings, grandparents and grandchildren of Ukrainian citizens.
• Former citizens of Ukraine.
• The spouse of a person who holds a permanent residency permit, if they have been married for more than 2 years, as well as children under 18 and parents of the immigrant unable to work.
• People who served in Ukrainian Armed Forces, the National Guard or the State Special Transport Service for at least 1 year during martial law, or 3 years in peacetime.
• People who served in these forces (for any length of time) and were declared unfit for service by a military medical commission because of an illness or injury received during military service.
• People who have lived in Ukraine continuously for 3 years since being recognized as a victim of human trafficking.
• People who have lived in Ukraine continuously for the last 5 years on a temporary residency permit.

If the end of the year is approaching and the quota for your category is already used up, you can’t immigrate this year and will have to wait until the Cabinet sets new quotas. Grounds outside the quota don’t carry this risk.

Scientists and Highly Qualified Specialists

For scientists and cultural figures, the ground is that their immigration is the Ukraine’s interests, confirmed by a petition from the Ministry of Culture or the Ministry of Education. For highly qualified specialists and workers, whose skills the economy urgently needs, approval from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine is required.

Family members of highly qualified specialists can receive an immigration permit at the same time as the specialist, provided they enter Ukraine together. If family members did not enter Ukraine simultaneously with the specialist/worker, they can immigrate only after the specialist/worker has received a permanent residency permit. In that case they apply under the family reunification ground for relatives of a permanent residency permit holder, which requires being married for more than two years.

Permanent Residency Permit Through Investment

Investment is one of the most popular routes to a permanent residency permit. The law requires that:

• the investment is at least $100,000;
• it is made in foreign convertible currency into Ukraine’s economy;
• it goes through an investment account;
• it takes the form of a contribution to the charter capital of a company in Ukraine.

Not every investment counts under migration law. The law sets specific conditions and only meeting them makes an investment a valid ground for the immigration permit. Mistakes made when transferring the money can’t be fixed afterwards, so have a lawyer approve the structure of your investment before you send any funds.

Although investors fall under the quota categories, in previous years the number of permits for them was not limited.

Requirements and Documents

As a general rule, an immigration permit requires:

• a passport;
• a document confirming your address in Ukraine;
• a document confirming your address abroad;
• a non-criminal record;
• medical certificates showing no drug or alcohol dependence and no infectious diseases from the list set by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine;
• documents confirming your right to immigrate under your category.

The last item is the most important: the list of documents is different for each category, so it has to be put together separately for each case. All documents issued abroad must be legalized or apostilled and translated into Ukrainian by a notary.

Documents for the immigration permit are submitted to the migration service or a consular office.

What a Permanent Residency Permit Gives You

• Work without a permit. You can work for any company without getting a work permit.
• Living, leaving and returning without limits on the number of trips or the number of days in Ukraine.
• Status close to that of a citizen. The permit puts a foreigner almost on a par with a Ukrainian citizen, with some exceptions.
• A path to citizenship. Continuous residency in Ukraine on a permanent residency permit is a ground for applying for citizenship.

Restrictions

• No political rights: you can’t vote or run as a candidate.
• You can’t hold certain public positions.
• You can’t own agricultural land.
• No visa-free entry to EU countries under the EU visa-free agreement.

Permanent Residency Permit Based on Marriage

If your marriage to Ukrainian citizen has lasted more than 2 years, the immigration permit is granted outside the quota. If you have been married for more than 2 years to someone who holds a permanent residency permit in Ukraine, immigration is possible only within the quota.

For immigration based on marriage, the couple goes through a check for sham marriage. This is an oral interview testing how well you know each other: 45 questions, of which at least 40 answers must match. The interview can be held in person or online. If you don’t speak Ukrainian, an interpreter must be present.

FAQ

How long does it take to get a permanent residency permit?

The whole process takes roughly 7–13 months, not counting the time needed to prepare your documents.

What are the grounds for refusing an immigration permit?

• A criminal record that has not been cleared. This applies to people sentenced to more than 1 year of imprisonment.
• Committing a crime against humanity, being wanted for a serious crime, or being suspected.
• Chronic alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse or an infectious disease on the list approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
• Knowingly providing false information or forged documents.
• A marriage declared invalid by a court, or signs of a sham marriage detected during checks.
• An incomplete set of documents.
• A violation of migration law or border-crossing rules.
• An entry ban, debts, or unenforced court or government decisions.

Can I get a permanent residency permit if I’m not in Ukraine?

You can apply for the immigration permit through a consular office. The application for the permanent residency permit itself can be made only in Ukraine.

Do I need to be in Ukraine while my application is being reviewed?

This is the question we get asked most often, but unfortunately there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Every immigration case is unique, so we recommend contacting our specialists for a consultation.

How long is an immigration permit valid?

One year from the date it is issued. This period is given to apply for the permanent residency permit.

Can I work without a work permit?

Yes. The right to work without a work permit begins from the moment you receive your immigration permit.

Do I need to register my place of residency?

Yes, within 30 calendar days after receiving your permanent residency permit.

My passport is about to expire. Can I skip renewing it and live in Ukraine on my permanent residency permit alone?

As a general rule, a foreigner with any kind of residency permit (temporary or permanent) must hold a valid document proving their citizenship, that is, a passport. Disobeying this requirement can lead to liability under the law.

Want a permanent residency permit but don’t know where to start? Contact our team for a consultation.