How can a volunteer obtain a residence permit in Ukraine?

One of the options for obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine is through participation in volunteer projects on its territory. This option is suitable for foreign citizens who plan to engage in volunteer work and want to be able to stay in Ukraine longer than the tourist visa allows.

Important: Obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine does not entitle you to work in Ukraine. If you're planning to work in Ukraine - that's the best place to start - get a work permit and a residence permit on its basis.

Today we'll talk about those volunteers who need a visa to enter Ukraine and how to meet all the deadlines related to visas and residence permits in Ukraine.

Related article: Terms and conditions of obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine for citizens of America and Europe

Visa D-10 for a foreign volunteer in Ukraine

The first thing a volunteer who is planning to come to Ukraine should do is to check the documents of the volunteer organisation that is offering them cooperation. The most frequent problems that may appear during the verification are:

• the statutes may not contain information on the areas of activities carried out through the provision of volunteer assistance;

• information about the organisation may not be posted on the official website of the Ministry of Social Policy.

If you don't know where to look for such information, our lawyers can do it, or suggest reliable voluntary organisations that meet all the requirements and have already been checked by our experts.

For many countries with which Ukraine has a visa regime, you will need a D-10 visa at the Ukrainian consulate to enter the country. When preparing your documents, check when your passport document expires - your passport will not receive a visa if it is valid for less than a year.

The visa was issued on the basis of an invitation from an organisation engaging volunteers in its activities and a copy of the certificate of state registration of such an organisation. Such visa is issued for 90 days and once it is received it is possible to enter Ukraine.

Attention! Important is the fact of crossing the Ukrainian border after the visa starts, because very often foreigners hurry up and do it earlier. But this fact will be grounds for refusal to accept the documents for residence permit - it is necessary to enter Ukraine after the visa, i.e. after the date indicated on the visa label.

After entry it is better not to delay and immediately apply for a residence permit by volunteering.

List of documents:

• passport with a translation into the Ukrainian language;

• documents for payment of administrative services and state fees;

• health insurance policy for a foreigner for 1 year;

• application of the organisation for participation in the volunteer programme to which the foreigner came;

• certificate of state registration of the organisation.

When we work with our clients, we take all the work of preparing the documents ourselves. The volunteer has to submit the documents to the migration authority on his/her own, but we prepare the client for such a trek. We also monitor the results of the review of the documents for obtaining the visa and inform in advance where and when he/she can receive the document produced. 

The cost of our services is here.