The government has made an important decision regarding foreigners fighting for Ukraine
8 May 00:43
Foreigners who are fighting in the Ukrainian Armed Forces or plan to sign a contract will find it easier to obtain temporary residence permits. The government has adopted a decision aimed at reducing unnecessary bureaucracy for foreign volunteers and resolving issues related to passports and proof of residence. This was announced by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
According to her, temporary residence permits will be issued to foreign volunteers for the entire duration of their contract.
“Therefore, temporary residence permits will be issued for the entire duration of the contract and for an additional six months after its completion,” Svyrydenko noted.
What Will Change for Foreigners in the Defense Forces
The new rules will apply to foreigners and stateless persons who are already serving or are planning to join the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
In particular, the government is establishing procedures for processing documents for such service members. This is intended to make the stay of foreign volunteers in Ukraine more transparent and legally regulated.
One of the key decisions is that the temporary residence permit will be tied to the duration of the contract. After completing their service, the foreigner will have an additional six months of legal stay in Ukraine.
Documents can be submitted even with an expired passport
Separately, the government has addressed situations where a foreigner cannot renew their passport.
This refers to cases where, to obtain a new document, a person must apply to the aggressor state or to a country that does not recognize Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
In such situations, foreign volunteers will be able to submit documents even with an expired passport.
“The government has also addressed situations where a foreigner cannot renew their passport because doing so requires contacting the aggressor state or a country that does not recognize Ukraine’s territorial integrity. In such cases, applications can be submitted even with an expired passport,” the head of government stated.
This decision is important for those foreigners who are effectively unable to safely or politically acceptably contact the authorities of their own country to renew their documents.
Proof of residence will also be simplified
Another change concerns proof of residence.
According to Svyrydenko, this procedure will also be simplified for some foreigners who are serving in the military.
This should reduce the number of formal obstacles during the document processing.
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Why did the government make this decision
The main goal of the decision is to create normal conditions for foreigners who are defending the country to stay in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the government’s decision is intended to eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy and make the rules clearer for people serving in the Armed Forces.
“The decision is intended to eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy and create clearer and more normal conditions for staying in Ukraine for people who defend our country,” Svyrydenko noted.
What led up to this
In December 2025, the Verkhovna Rada supported a bill regarding the legal status and medical care of foreign military personnel and stateless persons.
The document stipulates that foreigners serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be able to obtain a residence permit.
The government’s new decision effectively details the procedures and is intended to help foreign volunteers legally remain in Ukraine during their service and after their contract ends.
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