Family reunification in Ukraine: what documents are needed and how to apply?

Family reunification in Ukraine is a legal process that allows foreigners to join their relatives living in the country. Find out more about the required documents and the application procedure

Legal assistance on entry, stay and legalization of foreigners in Ukraine

GET CONSULTATION

According to paragraph 3 of part 1 of Article 1 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’, family reunification is the entry into the territory of Ukraine of family members of a foreigner or stateless person (apostata) for temporary or permanent residence. According to the same article, several conditions must be met for family reunification:

1. The foreigner or stateless person (apatride) must be legally present in Ukraine.

2. The foreigner or stateless person must confirm that they have sufficient financial resources to support their family members.

3. The right to family reunification does not depend on when the family relationship was formed – before or after the foreigner's arrival in Ukraine.

Who can apply for family reunification?

According to paragraph 26 of part 1 of Article 1 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’, the family members of a foreigner are determined in accordance with the legislation of the country of origin. However, the following persons have the right to family reunification:

✔︎ the other spouse (husband or wife);

✔︎ minor children of the foreigner;

✔︎ minor children of the other spouse;

✔︎ incapacitated parents.

What kind of residence permit do family members of a foreigner receive?

Regardless of whether you are married to a Ukrainian citizen (Part 14 of Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’) or are a family member of a foreigner or stateless person legally residing in Ukraine (Part 15 of Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’), you are required to obtain a temporary residence permit (based on Part 3 of Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’).

The party hosting you in Ukraine also has the following obligations to the state (based on Article 4¹ of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’) – these are common to all, regardless of the purpose of the visit:

1. Take measures to ensure that you submit your documents for a permit to legally stay in Ukraine on time.

2. Notify the official authorities if your grounds for temporary stay in Ukraine have expired.

3. Cover the costs associated with your stay in Ukraine.

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

What are the grounds for obtaining a temporary residence permit for the purpose of family reunification?

The grounds for obtaining a temporary residence permit for the purpose of family reunification depend on whether you are married to a Ukrainian citizen or are a family member of a foreigner who legally resides in Ukraine.

If you are married to a Ukrainian citizen, the grounds for obtaining a temporary residence permit are (based on Part 14 of Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’):

✔︎ a marriage certificate with a Ukrainian citizen;

✔︎ medical insurance policy for the entire period of stay in Ukraine.

Important! If the marriage between a Ukrainian citizen and a foreigner or stateless person was concluded outside Ukraine in accordance with the law of a foreign state, the validity of such a marriage is determined in accordance with the Law of Ukraine ‘On International Private Law’.

If you are a family member of a foreigner or stateless person legally residing in Ukraine, the grounds for obtaining a temporary residence permit are (based on Part 15 of Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’):

✔︎ application of a foreigner/stateless person planning to enter Ukraine;

✔︎ medical insurance policy for the entire period of stay in Ukraine;

✔︎ documents confirming family membership, in accordance with the current legislation of the country of origin.

Regardless of the specifics of family ties, to obtain a temporary residence permit, you must also provide the following documents (based on Part 19 of Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’):

✔︎ passport document;

✔︎ long-term visa;

✔︎ a copy of the page of the passport document with a long-term visa;

✔︎ copies of the pages of the passport document with personal data, translated into Ukrainian and certified in accordance with the established procedure.

✔︎ a document confirming payment of the administrative fee.

Important! A long-term visa is not required for the following categories:

– persons whose family members (foreigners and stateless persons) have signed a contract for military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, or the National Guard of Ukraine (clause 2, part 19, Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’);

– children of foreigners and stateless persons who are obtaining a temporary residence permit for the first time, provided that at the time of reaching the age of 16 they were legally present in Ukraine and applied for a permit within one month of reaching the age of 16 (clause 2, part 2, Article 5² of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’).

➤ Details on obtaining a long-term visa to Ukraine can be found here

What is the validity period of a temporary residence permit?

The validity period of a temporary residence permit for family reunification is 1 year (in accordance with paragraph 5 of part 1 of Article 51 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’). After that, it can be extended if there are grounds for doing so.

➤ Rules for extending a temporary residence permit in Ukraine under martial law can be found here

Legal support in the process of family reunification in Ukraine

For a successful reunification procedure, we recommend seeking professional legal assistance. The Visit Ukraine team of lawyers provides:

● Full legal support

● Consultations at all stages

● Assistance with preparing documents

● Representation in state bodies

For a consultation, please contact Visit Ukraine specialists via Telegram, WhatsApp or the form on the website. Our specialists have extensive experience in resolving migration issues and will help you reunite with your family as quickly and hassle-free as possible.

Photo: Freepik

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

We recommend purchasing it for a safe and comfortable trip to Ukraine: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance – insurance covering military risks for entry and travel in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Car Insurance – car insurance with extended coverage in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Legal Advice – comprehensive legal support on entry to Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tickets – bus and train tickets to/from Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tours – the largest online database of tours to Ukraine for every taste;

Visit Ukraine Hotels – hotels for a comfortable stay in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Merch – 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.