Immigration services in Ukraine

This is where the immigration process begins. One of the most common mistakes is to immediately look for a list of documents required for a residence permit, visa, or immigration, without checking whether the chosen procedure matches the person’s actual situation.

In immigration law, the documents always follow the grounds for the application, not the other way round.

If a foreign national is coming to work, the process may start with the employer’s documents and a work permit. If the move is due to family circumstances, the approach will be different. For permanent residence, it is usually necessary to analyze the grounds for immigration separately.

That is why, at STATUS KO, we begin by examining the client’s specific situation: citizenship, current place of residence, purpose of visit, existing immigration status, timeframes and documents.

Only then can we address the practical questions: what procedures to follow, in what order, which documents to obtain abroad, and what steps are advisable to take before arriving in Ukraine.

Immigration services cover a fairly broad field. The simple phrase ‘I need a residence permit’ can reflect a wide variety of personal circumstances.

STATUS KO works with both private clients and Ukrainian companies that recruit staff from other countries.

Our main areas of focus include preparing foreign documents for use in Ukraine. It is often necessary to include a translation of a passport, birth or marriage certificate, power of attorney, reference letter or corporate document with an immigration application. Depending on the country of issue, questions may arise regarding an apostille or consular legalization.

• permits for the employment of foreign nationals and stateless persons;
• temporary residence permits;
• immigration permits;
• permanent residence permits;
• extensions of stay in Ukraine;
• documents for a long-term Type D visa;
• matters relating to Ukrainian citizenship;
• obtaining a Tax Identification Number (TIN) for a foreign national;
• insurance for foreign nationals;
• registration of residence and related documentation.

Therefore, in practice, migration support often consists of several services that must be properly coordinated.

Permit to employ foreign nationals.

When a Ukrainian company decides to hire a specialist from abroad, it is important not to begin the process only upon their arrival. A significant portion of the paperwork can and should be completed in advance.

In cases provided for by law, the employer applies for a work permit for a specific foreign national or stateless person.

And here is a key point: it is the employer who obtains this permit. In other words, it is not a personal ‘work license’ that the foreign national applies for themselves.

Before submitting the application, it is necessary to check the candidate’s passport, correctly specify the future position and the duration of employment, prepare the documents required by the Ukrainian authorities, and ensure that all personal details will be consistently reflected in other documents going forward.

If the employee is outside Ukraine, obtaining the permit is often just the first step. Further documents may be required for a D visa, entry into Ukraine, insurance, a translation of the passport, and the application for a temporary residence permit.

This is precisely why an employer needs to look not just at a single permit, but at the employee’s entire journey – from the candidate’s approval to their legal commencement of work and the processing of their residence permit.

This is particularly evident when dealing not with a single person, but with a group of foreign workers. In such cases, the timelines, documents and status of each candidate must effectively be managed as separate cases.

A temporary residence permit is one of the most sought-after immigration documents. However, it is not possible to obtain one simply because a foreign national wishes to stay in Ukraine for a longer period.

A legal basis is required.

This may be employment, study, family circumstances, participation in the activities of a legal entity, or another reason provided for by law.

The specific basis determines the composition of the application.

For an employee, the key set of documents will be one set; for a student, another; and for someone applying for residence on family grounds, a third. Therefore, a universal list of documents ‘for a permit’ that suits everyone is, in practice, of little use.

Documents from abroad deserve special attention. A marriage certificate, birth certificate, reference or other document may require additional formalities before it can be used in Ukraine.

We check this before submission, rather than once the client has already been registered with the immigration authorities.

Timeframes are also important. It is necessary to take into account the legality of the foreign national’s current stay, the validity of their passport, supporting documents and other circumstances that may affect the application process.

When dealing with immigration authorities, having a few weeks’ leeway is sometimes far more valuable than it initially seems.

Clients quite often confuse two different concepts here: immigration permit and permanent residence permit.

In most relevant procedures, you must first obtain an immigration permit, and only then is a permanent residence permit issued on that basis.

In other words, you should not start by asking ‘how do I get a permanent residence permit?’, but rather: does a specific person have grounds for immigration to Ukraine?

Next comes the work on gathering evidence.

In straightforward cases, the necessary documents are already to hand, and it is simply a matter of preparing them correctly. However, more complex situations do arise: it may be necessary to confirm family ties, obtain a duplicate certificate, secure an archive extract, trace a change of surname, or reconcile documents issued in different countries and in different years.

Sometimes a single document from the 1980s or 1990s proves more important to the whole case than a dozen modern certificates.

In such cases, the quality of the preparation is particularly evident. It is not simply a matter of gathering papers, but of constructing a clear chain of evidence that substantiates the stated grounds.

Once immigration permission has been granted, the next stage begins – applying for a permanent residence permit.

That is precisely why it is better to plan such cases as a single process, rather than as two loosely connected services.

It’s a familiar situation: a foreign national has come to Ukraine for a specific period, but circumstances have changed. They need to stay longer – due to family matters, paperwork, medical treatment, sorting out their immigration status, or other circumstances.

This raises a logical question: is it possible to extend their stay?

Sometimes – yes. But not automatically.

For this to happen, there must be a legally recognized ground for the extension, which can be substantiated with documents.

Therefore, extending a stay should not be viewed as simply ‘adding another 30 or 90 days’. Each situation is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

The most important thing here is not to waste time.

Whilst the period of lawful stay has not yet expired, there are certain options available. Once immigration rules have been breached, the situation becomes more complicated and may already involve issues of administrative liability.

Therefore, if a client realizes that the permitted time may not be sufficient, it is better to explore the options in advance.

During the initial assessment, we check the date of entry, nationality, entry status, the duration of stay already used, and the reason why the foreign national needs to remain.

Only then can we determine whether there are grounds for further action.

Clients often perceive the D visa as an end in itself: ‘I need to obtain a long-stay visa’.

However, in most immigration scenarios, it is merely part of a broader process.

For example, a foreign national has found an employer in Ukraine. First, the employment documents are prepared. Then, if necessary for the specific situation, a long-term visa is applied for. After entering Ukraine, the process of obtaining a residence permit begins.

In other words, the process looks something like this:

basis → documents → D visa → entry into Ukraine → residence permit.

This is a simple diagram, but it clearly illustrates why each preceding document must be prepared with the next step in mind.

The most unpleasant scenario is when a person has already obtained a visa and arrived in Ukraine, only for it to transpire that a document is missing for the residence permit – a document that should have been obtained or properly processed whilst still in their country of origin.

It is precisely these situations that we strive to prevent.

Before the visa stage, it is worth checking not only the documents required by the consulate, but also what the foreign national will need after entering the country.

The issue of citizenship requires a particularly cautious approach.

Statements such as ‘I have lived in Ukraine for many years’, ‘I have Ukrainian relatives’ or ‘I am married to a Ukrainian citizen’ may be important. Still, they do not in themselves determine the procedure to be followed.

First, the legal basis must be established.

Depending on the circumstances, this may involve naturalization, territorial origin, reinstatement of citizenship or another mechanism provided for by law.

And then the documentation phase begins.

In cases based on territorial origin, for example, it is often necessary to work with documents belonging to parents, grandparents, archive records and old certificates. If a surname has changed, this change must also be substantiated by documentary evidence.

There is no point in starting by filling in a form until it is clear whether the case itself can be substantiated.

Legislation on citizenship is also subject to change, so it is important to check the current rules applicable on the date of application before commencing the procedure.

We do not promise ‘turnkey citizenship with a guaranteed result’ – in this field, that would be inappropriate. Our task is different: to assess the grounds, documents and potential issues, and to prepare the case so that the client understands the actual course of action.

Sometimes the most difficult part of the move is already over: the foreign national is already in Ukraine, and the main immigration documents have been obtained. But suddenly a series of practical and legal tasks arise that few people think about at the outset.

A Tax Identification Number (TIN) is required. Insurance is required. The passport needs to be translated. The question of registering a place of residence arises.

Each procedure on its own seems minor, but together they can take considerable time.

A TIN for a foreign national may be required for employment, participation in business, entering into certain contracts and other legal actions.

Insurance, within the framework of the relevant immigration procedures, may form part of the mandatory set of documents.

Translation of passports and other documents requires particular attention to personal data.

A single letter in a surname may seem like a minor detail, until two different spellings of the same name appear in Ukrainian documents.

This is precisely where the combination of STATUS KO’s translation and migration expertise proves its practical value. Translations are not prepared in a vacuum – we understand the context in which they are used and which documents they must align with.

A well-organized immigration case appears quite straightforward to the client. But this simplicity arises precisely because a significant proportion of the issues have been thought through in advance.

At the outset, we assess the situation.

We do not ask you to gather a dozen certificates straight away. First, we need to understand your nationality, the purpose of your stay, your current location, your existing status, and your desired outcome.

After that, we map out the process.

Next, we review the documents. Some are already ready, some will need to be obtained, and some may turn out to be unnecessary altogether.

If translations, insurance, an apostille, legalization, or other related procedures are required, we incorporate them into the overall timetable.

Only then do we put together the application package.

Schematically, the process can be outlined as follows:

Analysis of the situation → selection of procedure → document audit → preparation → submission → support through subsequent stages → outcome.

But the most valuable aspect here is not even the diagram itself.

The client must always understand where they are in this process: what has already been done, what we are expecting, and which document will be next.

The most frustrating problems often arise not because of complex legal issues.

They arise because of the details.

One spelling of the surname appears in the passport, another on the certificate. A document has been issued correctly but has not been prepared for use in Ukraine. A reference letter is available, but it does not quite confirm the circumstance required for the stated grounds. There are only a few days left before the end of the period of stay.

That is precisely why we carry out a preliminary check of the application package.

We check: this is a dress rehearsal for the case before submission.

• whether the chosen procedure matches the actual situation;
• whether there are enough documents to substantiate the grounds;
• whether the personal details match;
• whether the passport is valid;
• whether documents from abroad have been drawn up correctly;
• whether translations are required;
• whether any critical deadlines are approaching.

Of course, no consultant can replace a government body or guarantee its decision in advance. But there is something else we can do: eliminate obvious weaknesses before they turn into a problem.

And this is precisely what we consider to be one of the most important components of professional support.

The benefit of a comprehensive approach is particularly evident when a case goes beyond the scope of a single document.

Let’s imagine a foreign specialist who is still in their home country.

A Ukrainian company is planning to employ them. It is necessary to check their passport, prepare a work permit, determine the next steps for the visa process, and verify the documents required for entry. Upon arrival, insurance must be arranged, translations provided, a residence permit and tax identification number obtained, and other matters resolved.

If different people handle each part, the client ends up having to coordinate the entire process themselves.

We can take on this coordination for you.

The same applies to family, immigration and other matters. If translations are required, we organize them as part of the immigration procedure. If a document needs to be apostilled or legalized, we first check whether this is actually necessary.

We offer a specialized service for corporate clients who are hiring several foreign employees at once.

Here, it is important to manage not just the documents, but the entire workflow: who already has copies of their passport, who is in the process of obtaining a work permit, who is at the visa stage, and who has already arrived and is applying for a residence permit.

For HR or a company director, this is far more convenient than managing dozens of parallel procedures on their own.

And one more important principle: comprehensive support does not mean ‘selling the client everything’.

If a particular procedure isn’t needed, we don’t include it in the process.

A sound immigration strategy should not be as extensive as possible, but sufficient.

Frequently asked questions about migration services.

This is a common situation. Describe your objective: work, living with family, relocation, extending your stay, permanent residence, and so on. Following an analysis, we can determine the specific procedure.

In many cases, yes, and it is even advisable. It is better to prepare some of the documents before arriving in Ukraine, especially if they need to be obtained or certified in the country of issue.

No. You need a legal basis as provided for by law, which the relevant documents must confirm.

These are different documents and stages of the process. In most relevant cases, an immigration permit is obtained first, and a permanent residence permit is then issued on that basis.

No. The procedure depends on the issuing country, the type of document, international treaties, and the purpose for which the document is to be used in Ukraine.

In certain cases, yes, but there must be a legal basis for this. It is advisable to resolve this issue before your period of stay expires.

Yes. This combination of services allows us to view documents as part of a single case, ensure the accuracy of personal data entry, and avoid duplication of work between different contractors.

It depends on the specific procedure and the readiness of the documents. Some matters are resolved relatively quickly, whilst others – such as immigration or citizenship cases – require more time for preparation and consideration.

It is therefore more accurate to determine the timeframe following an initial assessment.

The relevant government authority makes the final decision. We can assess the merits of your case, prepare the documents, support your application and minimize errors. Still, it would be inappropriate for us to promise an outcome on behalf of the government authority.

You don’t necessarily need to know the name of the specific procedure.

You can say: ‘I am a Turkish citizen, I am currently abroad and have received a job offer in Kyiv.’ Or: ‘I am married to a Ukrainian citizen and want to move to be with my husband.’ Or even: ‘My permitted days of stay are running out – what can I do?’

That is enough for us to start looking into the matter.

For an initial assessment, we usually need to know the foreign national’s nationality, their current location, the purpose of their stay in Ukraine, their current status, and the outcome they wish to achieve.

If you have the documents to hand, we can review them straight away.

After that, the specialists at STATUS KO will be able to outline the possible course of action, explain which documents need to be prepared, and describe the stages the case will go through.

Furthermore, if the client requires comprehensive support, we can take care not only of the immigration procedure but also of translations, the preparation of foreign documents, insurance, and other related matters.

Start with a brief description of your situation. We’ll help you turn it from a general ‘I need to stay in Ukraine’ into a concrete and clear plan for processing your documents.