How to bequeath real estate in Ukraine while abroad?

Ukrainians living abroad can bequeath real estate in Ukraine without having to come in person. Learn more about the procedure for certifying wills at consular offices and foreign notaries

Legal assistance for Ukrainians in Ukraine and abroad

GET

Russia's armed attack has forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes and country. Once abroad, many are faced with the question of how to dispose of the real estate they have left in Ukraine. It is possible to bequeath real estate without leaving the country you are in. We explain how to do this in this article.

The algorithm of actions on how to restore lost real estate documents is in this article.

How to inherit real estate while abroad?

Ukrainians can bequeath an apartment, house, land plot or other real estate without coming home. To do this, you need to certify the will at the consular offices of Ukraine or contact a foreign notary who has the appropriate authority.

Certification of a will in consular offices of Ukraine

Wills are certified by Ukrainian consular offices in accordance with Ukrainian law. According to the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, consular actions are regulated by the Regulation on the Procedure for Performing Notarial Actions in Diplomatic Missions and Consular Offices of Ukraine.

Wills drawn up abroad and relating to real estate in Ukraine are registered in the Inheritance Register.

Don't want to miss important updates and useful articles? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

Registration of wills in the Inheritance Register

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine enters data on wills certified by Ukrainian consular offices, changes to them and their revocation into the Inheritance Register. This is done through the electronic interaction system of executive authorities.

A testator may submit an application for state registration of wills certified by consular offices of Ukraine to the Registrar (a private notary, a state notary office or a state notary archive). To do this, you must present your passport or other identity document.

Certification of a will by foreign notaries

Ukrainians living abroad can have their wills notarized by foreign notaries or bodies authorized to do so. The will will be drawn up in accordance with the laws of the country of residence.

A person's ability to make and revoke a will, as well as the form of the will, is determined by the law of the state in which the testator resided at the time of the document's drafting or at the time of death. At the will of the testator, such wills may be registered in the Inheritance Register of Ukraine.

The data on wills registered abroad are entered into the Inheritance Register by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.

Who can make a will?

Any adult capable person in Ukraine can make a will - a citizen who has reached the age of 18 and has not been recognized by a court as incompetent or with limited legal capacity has the right to make a will. Such requirements are stipulated by the Civil Code of Ukraine.

A will must be drawn up in writing, indicating the date and place of drawing up, and must be signed by the testator. If a person cannot sign the document on their own due to physical limitations, another person can do this - but only in the presence of a notary or an authorized official.

What documents are required to create a will?

To draw up a will in Ukraine, you usually need:

- Passport or other identity document.

- Identification code (if necessary).

- Information about the persons to whom the property is bequeathed.

Important! The presence of real estate documents is not a prerequisite for making a will, but it facilitates the process in the future.

Thus, any capable adult citizen of Ukraine can make a will - both in the territory of the state and abroad, observing the requirements for the form of the document.

How to change or cancel a will?

Ukrainian legislation allows the testator to change or cancel a will at any time, if he remains capable. This can be done by making a new will or submitting an application for cancellation of the previous one.

A new will automatically cancels the previous one, even if it does not directly mention this. It is important that each change is certified by a notary or consular office and, if necessary, entered in the Inheritance Register.

If a will is declared invalid (for example, due to a violation of the form or the incapacity of the person at the time of making it), the distribution of property occurs according to law. In this case, the heirs are determined according to the procedures provided for by the Civil Code of Ukraine.

Changing or canceling a will is a completely normal and legal procedure, especially if life circumstances change. Therefore, it is important to maintain contact with the notary or consular service that certified the document.

What happens after the death of the testator?

After the death of the person who made the will, the inheritance is opened. From this moment, the heirs have six months to submit an application for acceptance of the inheritance. This period is general and provided for by the Civil Code of Ukraine.

The will becomes the main document on the basis of which the notary determines the heirs and issues a certificate of the right to inheritance. If the will is registered in the Inheritance Register, the notary can quickly check its existence and validity.

In the event that a will is absent or declared invalid, inheritance occurs according to the law - in order of priority: first, the heirs of the first order (children, husband or wife, parents), then the second and so on.

If the heirs live outside Ukraine, they can contact the Ukrainian consulate or notary at their place of residence to draw up documents for accepting the inheritance. In the future, all actions related to the re-registration of property are carried out through a Ukrainian notary or a trustee.

Thus, even while abroad, the heirs can fully exercise their rights to inheritance, following the procedures established by law.

Drawing up an inheritance abroad is a possible and manageable process, if you know how to act and what documents to prepare. Read here what is needed for this.

If you temporarily reside abroad and want to bequeath real estate in Ukraine, you can do so without having to come home. You can get advice on the rules for collecting, submitting and receiving the documents you need on the Visit Ukraine portal. To get legal assistance, follow this link and choose the appropriate service.

Let us remind you! The real estate market of Ukrainians abroad is changing rapidly. We have already told you in which countries Ukrainians buy housing in 2025, as well as what factors influence the choice of real estate.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance - insurance for a safe stay abroad without unnecessary expenses;

Green Card - compulsory car insurance for traveling abroad;

Visit Ukraine Tickets - book tickets for buses, trains, and airplanes to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world;

Private Lawyer service - professional legal support on visa and migration issues;

Visit Ukraine Merch - buy patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

© 2018-2025, Visit Ukraine. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit Ukraine.

All rights reserved.