Service portal
for Ukrainians

Are you planning to travel abroad in 2026? Below you will find complete and up-to-date information on the border crossing rules for Ukrainians.

Who has the right to leave Ukraine in 2026?

In 2026, the following people will have the right to leave Ukraine: women, certain categories of men, children under the age of 18 (if accompanied), and the elderly (over 60). Starting from August 28, 2025, men aged 18-22 inclusive will have the right to leave freely during martial law (until their 23rd birthday). Restrictions remain in place for government officials of the same age - they can travel only on official business trips. 

List of men who can leave Ukraine (with supporting documents):

● Men aged 18-22 years inclusive;

Persons with disabilities of groups I, II, III and those who were declared unfit for military service by the Military Qualification Commission and excluded from the military register;

● Parents with many children (3+ minor children) and men raising children on their own;

● persons whose close relatives were killed or went missing during the war;

● men accompanying a person with a disability of group I or II or seriously ill children;

● drivers traveling through the “Shlyakh” system, booked employees, railway workers and sailors, athletes and coaches, cultural workers, officials and diplomats - on special grounds;

● students aged 18 to 22 years leave on general terms; others - according to the rules of academic mobility (with supporting documents);

● active military personnel traveling abroad for treatment, rehabilitation, training or vacation.

For more information on how men of certain categories can leave Ukraine and what documents are required, as well as which women are prohibited from leaving Ukraine in 2026, please follow the links.

Important: The rules are subject to change, so be sure to check the information on the Visit Ukraine website or seek advice online before traveling.

Need help? Request a legal consultation on traveling abroad from Visit Ukraine at .

List of documents for traveling abroad in 2026

You can check the requirements for a particular country on the Visit Ukraine website in the “From Ukraine” section by entering the desired destination in the search. The main documents required to leave Ukraine are:

1. Valid biometric passport or regular passport + visa (if the destination country requires a visa);

2. Internal passport or ID-card (if there are international agreements with the country of destination, for example, to enter Turkey and Georgia);

3. Confirmation of the purpose of the trip (invitation, reservation, tickets, etc.), availability of financial security (financial requirements for EU countries) and a medical or travel insurance policy - may be requested when entering another country;

4. Military registration document and documents confirming the right to leave - the list is formed according to the grounds (for men of military age).

Important: you will not be allowed to enter the EU if your passport is about to expire. Read how long your passport must be valid to travel abroad here.

Documents for crossing the border with a child

1. Birth certificate (for children under 14 years of age) or passport of a citizen of Ukraine (from 14 years of age);

2. A document confirming kinship;

3. The child's passport (or information about the child entered in the passport of one of the parents.

Please note! Children under the age of 16 accompanied by one of the parents, grandparents, adult brother, sister, stepmother, stepfather or other persons authorized by one of the parents in a written statement certified by the guardianship and custody authority may travel outside Ukraine, is carried out without the notarized consent of the other parent and in the presence of a passport of a citizen of Ukraine or a child's birth certificate (in the absence of a passport of a citizen of Ukraine)/documents containing information about the person on the basis of which the State Border Guard Service will allow crossing the state border. In which cases a child's travel permit is required, please follow the link. Read more about the rules for crossing the border with a child in the article.

Documents for crossing the border by car

1. National driver's license(in which countries an International Driving Permit is required, please follow the link);

2. Technical passport for the car, which has information in Cyrillic and Latin;

3. Green Card (compulsory international motor insurance policy) - you can apply for a Green Card policy online on the Visit Ukraine website;

4. Identification mark of Ukraine on the car (UA);

5. State license plate on the car (it is impossible to leave on individual license plates);

6. A power of attorney for the right to drive or a certificate (if you plan to leave by someone else's car).

Please note! When traveling to Romania and Moldova, the car must undergo a mandatory technical inspection.

Requirements for crossing the border with an animal

1. Chipping;

2. International veterinary passport;

3. Vaccination against rabies;

4. Text on the titers of antibodies against rabies;

5. Form No. 1 (certificate BET-1 / BET-1 (CIS)) and international certificate;

6. Confirmation of treatment against parasites;

7. Notarized power of attorney (if the animal will not travel with the owner).

For a step-by-step procedure and the approximate cost of preparing for crossing the border with an animal, please follow the link.

Visa-free countries for Ukrainian citizens in 2026

Visa-free regime is valid with: EU countries, Switzerland, Israel, Indonesia and other countries - 146 countries in total. For a complete list of visa-free destinations, as well as countries where you need to apply for a visa upon arrival, follow the link. To find out how visa-free days are counted (including when there is temporary protection), follow this link.

On the Visit Ukraine portal, you can check the visa requirements for a particular country and get help with visa application.

Important: if you have an old-style passport (without biometric data), you need to apply for a visa to most visa-free countries, including the EU.

Checkpoints on the border of Ukraine

Currently, you can leave Ukraine only through land checkpoints (by bus, train, car or on foot) located on the border with Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. Traditionally, the busiest checkpoints are those on the Ukrainian-Polish border. To check the waiting time in the queues at the border, please visit the website of the State Customs Service of Ukraine. The vast majority of checkpoints operate around the clock. For the pros and cons of checkpoints, as well as which border is better to go through, follow the link.

Customs control when leaving Ukraine

Before traveling, it is important to familiarize yourself with the rules of customs control:

● Cash up to EUR 10,000 - no declaration required;

● Personal belongings - no restrictions;

● Alcohol , tobacco, food - check here, as the restrictions may differ depending on the country;

● Medicines - for personal use (some medicines require a doctor's prescription);

● Antiques, new appliances and electronics (from 2-3 items), etc. are subject to declaration.

For more information on what can be imported and exported from Ukraine, please follow the link.

EU entry control systems: EES and ETIAS

EES (Entry/Exit System) — an electronic system for recording entries and exits to the Schengen area, which has replaced the stamping of foreign nationals' passports.

After the system is launched, Ukrainians will be required to submit biometric data when crossing the border for the first time. The following information will be recorded at the border: full name and type of travel document, time and place of entry into or exit from the EU, fingerprints, and facial photo.

ETIAS (European Travel Authorization System) is a mandatory pre-registration (online permit) for citizens of visa-free countries (including Ukraine). It will be launched approximately in 2026.

After the launch of ETIAS, you will need to:

● apply online;

● pay a fee (approximately EUR 7);

● wait for confirmation (up to 96 hours).

Useful services for traveling abroad from Visit Ukraine

Visit Ukraine offers a full range of services for comfortable and safe travel abroad:

● Medical and travel insurance with different coverage

● Green card for cars

● Electronic road vignette (e-vignette) — official online permit for traveling on toll roads and motorways in Europe

● Transfers to and from Ukraine

● Ticket booking system for trains, buses and airplanes in Ukraine and between cities around the world

● Legal advice and support on migration, visa, business, work and educational issues

● Apostille and translation of documents

Organize your trip in 15 minutes - all in one place on Visit Ukraine!