Temporary residence permit in Ukraine

Whenever you come to Ukraine with a specific non-touristic purpose, applying for a temporary residence permit is necessary. The most popular examples include arriving in Ukraine for study, work or marriage. In many cases, people get temporary residence permits with the sole purpose of exploring the country before settling here.

It is important highlighting that temporary residence permit allows dealing in specific activities only, which are determined by the grounds, which you used to substantiate the necessity of staying in Ukraine for a certain period. Ukraine temporary residence permit is not multipurpose – it allows engaging only in a particular single activity. For example, if you got a temporary residence permit because you are a spouse of the Ukrainian citizen, you are not automatically authorized to work in Ukraine. Another illustration is a temporary student permit – while it allows studying, it does not authorize to engage in any employment or business.

The first step towards getting a temporary residence permit in Ukraine is getting a long-term D-class visa from one of the Ukrainian embassies. This visa will legalize your stay in Ukraine while the immigration service authorities review your residence permit application.

Finally, you should also remember that if the ground for temporary residence is for some reason revoked (e.g., you divorced or dropped from the studies), your temporary residence permit becomes annulled simultaneously.

Who needs a temporary residence permit in Ukraine?

Our research shows that a temporary residence permit is usually suitable for the following categories:

• Students – everyone, who comes to Ukraine for study should obtain a temporary residence permit. In case you were enrolled on a bachelor’s program at a Ukrainian university, getting this type of residence permit is essential to legalize your stay in Ukraine;
• Foreign employees of the Ukrainian and international companies– whenever you have an employment contract in Ukraine, getting temporary residence permit is essential. Until you get this document, you may not legally work in Ukraine;
• Family members of students and foreign employees working in Ukraine – in order accompany an international student or employee working in Ukraine getting temporary residence permit is necessary;
• Foreign spouses of the Ukrainian citizens – temporary residence permit is often used for the family reunions;

Duration of temporary residence permit.

Temporary residence permit in Ukraine is usually issued for one year only. However, it can be renewed for another year.

Important! If you consider applying for the Ukrainian citizenship in the future, be mindful of the fact that the term of stay in Ukraine under the temporary residence permit is not taken into consideration when calculating the period of time spent in Ukraine.

Overall, a temporary residence permit is a good solution for those, whose presence in Ukraine is necessary for several years only. While getting this type of permit is relatively easy, it authorizes the bearer to leave and enter Ukraine without visas and other restrictions.