Key points
- A new procedure for confirming the identity of Ukrainians from occupied territories has been introduced.
- It is permitted to apply for an ID card and a foreign passport at the same time.
- A wider range of documents and data from registers can be used for identification purposes.
- A remote procedure for establishing identity abroad is provided for.
Ukrainians who lived or live in temporarily occupied territories now have more opportunities to confirm their identity when applying for passport documents. The changes are provided for in the updated procedure, which came into force at the end of December 2025.
The new rules allow you to apply for a Ukrainian passport in the form of an ID card and a foreign passport at the same time with a single application. This option is available for both adults and children under 14 years of age. Documents can be submitted to the State Migration Service, administrative service centres or service centres abroad.
The procedure for confirming the identity of people who do not have a full set of Ukrainian documents is regulated separately. Military ID cards, registration certificates, driving licences, pension certificates or other official documents may be used for identification purposes. If certain documents are missing but information about the person is contained in state registers, this data may be indicated in a written application and verified during the passport application process.
For adult citizens who do not have a passport with a photograph and only have a birth certificate or documents issued by the occupation administrations, a separate mechanism for establishing identity is provided. In such cases, identification can be carried out remotely via videoconferencing in separate departments of the state-owned enterprise “Document” outside Ukraine.
These changes are expected to facilitate access to Ukrainian passports for people who have lived under occupation for a long time and have had limited opportunities to obtain or renew the documents necessary to exercise their basic civil rights.
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