Can a Foreign Doctor Open a Medical Practice in Ukraine?

Ukraine remains a promising market for the development of private healthcare. Every year, more foreign doctors consider opening their own medical office, private clinic, or working as private practitioners. The reasons may vary, including having received medical education in Ukraine, family circumstances, investment in the healthcare business, or a desire to practice medicine in a new market.

This means that a foreign doctor cannot legally treat patients, enter into medical service agreements, or engage in private medical practice without obtaining a medical practice license.

This is why one of the first questions our clients ask is: can a foreigner obtain a medical practice license in Ukraine?

Does Ukrainian Law Allow a Foreign Doctor to Obtain a Medical Practice License?

Yes, Ukrainian law does not prohibit foreign nationals from practicing medicine in Ukraine. However, obtaining a medical practice license requires compliance with a number of legal, regulatory, and administrative requirements, many of which are not directly related to medical practice itself.

Before applying to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, for example, the applicant must properly structure the business activity, prepare the required documents, determine the appropriate form of business operation, prepare the premises, and compile a document package in accordance with the applicable Licensing Conditions.

This is where most mistakes occur. In practice, refusals to grant a medical practice license are much more often related to improperly prepared documents or non-compliance with organizational requirements than to the doctor's professional qualifications.

Foreign doctors may also face several additional challenges:

• limited knowledge of Ukrainian law;

• language barriers when preparing documents;

• difficulties communicating with different government authorities;

• inability to remain physically present in Ukraine for several weeks or months.

This is why most international projects involve a legal team that coordinates the entire process from start to obtaining the Ministry of Health's decision.

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Who Can Obtain a Medical Practice License?

This is one of the first questions we receive from potential clients. In practice, the answer depends not on citizenship, but on the doctor's individual circumstances. We assist several categories of foreign clients.

Graduates of Ukrainian Medical Universities

We most often work with doctors who studied in Ukraine but moved to the European Union or other countries after completing their medical education.

After several years, they may decide to open their own medical office in Ukraine or establish a private medical practice.

In these cases, the licensing process is generally more predictable because the doctor's educational qualifications have already been documented under Ukrainian law.

Doctors with Degrees from Foreign Universities

A separate category includes healthcare professionals who obtained their medical degrees outside Ukraine.

In these cases, it is necessary to determine whether their foreign educational qualifications can be officially recognized in Ukraine and whether they meet the legal requirements for practicing medicine in Ukraine.

For this reason, before starting any formal procedures, it is advisable to have the relevant documents legally reviewed rather than proceeding directly with business registration.

Doctors Planning to Open a Private Medical Practice

Many foreign doctors choose to establish their own medical practice as individual entrepreneurs.

This model is suitable for doctors who:

• work independently;

• do not intend to open a large clinic;

• want to start practicing quickly;

• plan to expand their practice gradually.

In many cases, this structure is the simplest option in terms of administrative requirements and tax considerations.

Foreign Investors Opening a Private Clinic

Another category of clients is foreign investors. They are not necessarily practicing physicians themselves. Their goal is to establish a private clinic or medical center and engage Ukrainian doctors to provide medical services. In these cases, the structure of the project differs significantly from that of a private medical practice.

It is necessary to consider the corporate structure, ownership structure, staffing and employment matters, management arrangements, and the future scalability of the business.

For this reason, preparation for the licensing process should begin with designing the appropriate legal structure for the entire project. 

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What Documents Does a Foreign Doctor Need to Obtain a Medical Practice License?

One of the most common misconceptions is that obtaining a medical practice license requires only submitting an application to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. In reality, the required document package is prepared much earlier, and the application itself is only the final stage of the process.

Before applying to the Ministry of Health, a doctor must complete a number of legal and administrative steps. Some documents confirm the right to conduct business activities, while others confirm that the proposed medical practice complies with the requirements of applicable law.

The required documents depend on the specific circumstances, including the applicant's citizenship, where the medical education was obtained, the legal form of the business, the type of medical practice, and the operating mode (private medical office, clinic, or medical center).

In most cases, the following documents need to be prepared:

• an identity document;

• a Ukrainian tax identification number (TIN);

• documents confirming the state registration of an individual entrepreneur or limited liability company;

• documents confirming the right to use the premises;

• information about the material and technical facilities;

• documents concerning medical personnel (where applicable);

• an application for a medical practice license;

• information required under the Licensing Conditions.

However, this list is not universal. For example, if the medical practice is carried out by a legal entity, the documentation requirements will differ from those applicable to a sole proprietor.

For this reason, we recommend not using document templates from publicly available sources. Errors often arise not because a particular document is missing, but because it has been prepared incorrectly or does not correspond to the actual operating model.

Why Are Most Licensing Issues Related Not to the Doctor, but to Documents?

It is commonly assumed that the Ministry of Health primarily assesses the doctor's professional qualifications. In practice, these qualifications are only one element of the licensing process.

A significant number of refusals or requests to resubmit documents result from organizational errors, including:

• incorrectly prepared information about the material and technical facilities;

• premises that do not meet the applicable requirements;

• errors in information about medical personnel;

• inaccuracies in documents related to business activities;

• use of outdated document forms;

• improper preparation of documents issued abroad.

For this reason, professional legal assistance is not limited to completing an application for a medical practice license in Ukraine. Its main purpose is to ensure that the entire project complies with applicable legal requirements before the documents are submitted to the Ministry of Health.

At Legalservice, we begin with this assessment. This allows us to identify potential risks before the licensing process begins, avoid unnecessary delays, and prepare the project for successful licensing.

Does a Foreign Doctor Need to Obtain a Ukrainian TIN?

Yes. In most cases, obtaining a Ukrainian tax identification number is a prerequisite for establishing and operating a medical practice. Without a TIN, a foreign national may not be able to:

• register as a sole proprietorship;

• become a founder of an LLC in certain practical circumstances;

• open a bank account;

• enter into certain agreements;

• conduct business activities in accordance with Ukrainian law.

In general, obtaining a TIN is one of the first steps after deciding to start a medical business in Ukraine.

The procedure itself is not complicated, but the documents must be prepared correctly. If the applicant is abroad, it is also important to properly document the authority of a representative who will act on the applicant's behalf in Ukraine.

In most cases, Legalservice obtains the TIN within a few business days, allowing the client to proceed with business registration and the preparation of the remaining documents.

Related: Obtaining a Tax Identification Number for Foreigners: How a Non-Resident Can Get the Document in Ukraine 

Sole Proprietorship or LLC: Which Business Structure Is Best for a Medical Practice?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The right choice depends on how you plan to operate your medical practice in Ukraine.

If a doctor plans to open a private medical office and provide medical services independently, registering as a sole proprietor is often the most suitable option. It offers several advantages:

• a relatively simple registration process;

• less complex administration;

• simpler accounting;

• the ability to start operating more quickly.

However, a sole proprietorship is not always the best option. For example, if you plan to:

• establish a multidisciplinary clinic;

• bring other doctors in as business partners;

• work with investors;

• expand the business across several cities.

In such cases, it may be more appropriate to consider establishing a limited liability company in Ukraine.

For this reason, we recommend defining the business model first and only then choosing the appropriate business structure and proceeding with registration.

In practice, changing the legal form after obtaining a medical practice license may require additional legal steps and can complicate the further development of the business.

Comparison of a Sole Proprietorship and an LLC for Medical Practice

The choice of business structure should be based not only on your current needs but also on your plans for the next few years.

Can You Obtain a Medical Practice License Remotely?

For most foreign doctors, this is a key practical question. Our clients typically live in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Canada, or the United States. They work in healthcare facilities, run their own practices, or have other professional commitments, so they cannot regularly travel to Ukraine solely to deal with paperwork. For this reason, we structure the process to minimize the number of steps the client must complete in person.

With a properly executed power of attorney, a representative can handle a substantial part of the administrative process. In particular, the following matters can be arranged remotely:

• obtaining a TIN;

• registering a sole proprietorship or LLC;

• communicating with government authorities;

• preparing the document package;

• reviewing documents confirming the right to use the premises;

• entering into certain agreements;

• preparing documents for the Ministry of Health;

• assistance throughout the license application review process.

A properly structured process can ensure that the required documents are prepared correctly while minimizing the need for the client to be physically present in Ukraine.

How to Properly Execute a Power of Attorney for Remote Medical Practice Licensing in Ukraine

Almost every international project begins with a power of attorney. This document authorizes lawyers to represent the client's interests in Ukraine, communicate with government authorities, submit documents, and perform other legally significant actions on the client's behalf.

We often encounter situations where clients prepare a power of attorney themselves using standard templates found online. Such documents may fail to grant the representative all the necessary powers. As a result, the client has to visit a notary again and spend additional time and money arranging and sending new documents.

To avoid these issues, the power of attorney should be drafted specifically for the particular project. For example, if the process involves obtaining a TIN, registering a business in Ukraine, entering into a lease agreement, opening a bank account, or submitting documents to the Ministry of Health, the relevant powers should be appropriately set out in the document.

For this reason, at Legalservice, we prepare a tailored power of attorney before it is notarized abroad. This helps avoid the need to re-execute the documents and ensures the smooth continuation of all subsequent procedures.

Legal Support for Foreign Doctors Establishing a Medical Business 

For a foreign doctor, starting a medical practice in Ukraine involves more than obtaining a medical practice license from the Ministry of Health. It requires addressing a range of interconnected legal and administrative matters. It is important to determine the appropriate business structure, verify educational credentials, prepare the premises and gather the required licensing information before submitting the application. This applies equally to doctors who are already in Ukraine and those planning to start their practice from abroad.

The Legalservice team has extensive experience in licensing and can assist with the entire process, from assessing your individual circumstances through to obtaining the medical practice license and launching your practice.

Contact us to assess your documents, determine the appropriate course of action, and develop a legal support strategy tailored to your case.