Temporary residence permit in Ukraine by marriage

Our practice shows that marrying a Ukrainian citizen is the most popular basis for getting a temporary residence permit in Ukraine. The era of globalization brought it fruits, and every tenth wife or husband in Ukraine nowadays is a foreigner. Although the overwhelming majority of these families are the real ones, in some cases marriage is arranged technically for the sole purpose of legalizing the one’s stay in Ukraine. However, this approach is somewhat risky – the Immigration Service makes random checks and inspections, not to mention that at the time of residence permit renewal the wife should attest the application.

Documents required for a temporary residence permit in Ukraine by marriage:

• Completed temporary residence permit application. Please note that the application form is available in Ukrainian language only. We highly recommend you to seek professional advice before starting to complete it;
• Valid passport (or another ID document) with D-class visa. Make sure that your passport is a valid one (not expired), as well as that you have successfully received the D-class visa from the Ukrainian embassy in your country. The passport (or another ID document) should be officially translated by recognized and certified translator in Ukraine.
• Marriage certificate (or the document that confirms marital status). The Immigration Service recognizes both those marriages, which have been registered in Ukraine and those, which have been registered overseas. However, if your marriage certificate was issued in another country, legalizing and translating it into Ukrainian by recognized and certified translator is obligatory.
• Confirmation of residence in Ukraine. Make sure that you have a document confirming that you have some abode in Ukraine. Typically, two types of documents qualify for that purpose: title of a deed, if you own property in Ukraine or certificate, issued by your landlord that confirms that he approves your registration in his abode.
• Bank receipt, confirming that the temporary residence permit application levy has been paid, or levy exemption certificate;
• Four passport-size photos;
• Copy of the TIN (tax identification number) if it is available;
• Medical and deportation insurance certificates.

Important considerations! Despite the fact that the application process may seem to be simple, several important factors should be taken into account:

• To apply for the temporary residence permit, D-class visa obtained in a Ukrainian embassy abroad is essential. Some confirmation of your marital status is always necessary at this stage. If you come to Ukraine with an ordinary tourist visa, marry here, and then decide to apply for the temporary residence permit, the Immigration Office will decline your application. Leaving the country and applying for D-class visa overseas will be necessary;
• Always remember that once reside in Ukraine under a marriage temporary permit, you are not allowed to engage in other activities as employment;
• Renewing temporary residence permits on time is very important, as missing the deadline results in deportation from Ukraine. In the best scenario, you will be allowed to re-apply from your country, getting D-class visa again and re-submitting the documents to the Immigration Service again;
• If your marriage is dissolved, the validity of your temporary residence permit is immediately annulled, and you have to leave Ukraine;
• Your spouse should file a petition when you apply for renewal of the marriage temporary residence permit.

Generally, though getting a temporary residence permit in Ukraine as a spouse of a Ukrainian citizen may seem to be somewhat complicated, in reality, it is quite smooth and streamlined. Our lawyers will be delighted to assist you in going through the intricacies of the temporary immigration to Ukraine as a spouse of a Ukrainian citizen.