Main points:
- For many Ukrainians who left due to the war, their pension remains the main source of income.
- Documents can be submitted to the Pension Fund remotely — through the Pension Fund’s web portal or by mail.
- The package of documents must be complete, and the copies must be of good quality.
- Annual physical identification takes place by December 31 in one of three ways: through the Pension Fund’s portal, video conference, or a foreign diplomatic mission.
- In case of pension rights violations, citizens can contact the Ombudsman’s Office, which verifies the facts and monitors the actions of the authorities.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have left the country due to the war, and for a significant part of them, pension payments remain the main source of income. This was reported by the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, Dmitry Lubinets, who drew attention to the difficulties that citizens face when applying for and receiving pensions while abroad.
A pensioner temporarily residing outside Ukraine can apply to the Pension Fund of Ukraine remotely. Documents are submitted through the Pension Fund’s web portal or sent by postal mail. Lubinets emphasized that the package of documents must be complete, and the copies must be of good quality, as this accelerates the consideration of the application and reduces the risk of refusal.
A separate requirement applies to annual physical identification. Pensioners abroad undergo it once a year by December 31, confirming the fact of being alive. This can be done in three ways — through the Pension Fund’s portal, during a video conference with the fund, or through foreign diplomatic missions that issue the relevant document. Failure to comply with this procedure within the established timeframe may result in the suspension of payments.
Lubinets explained where to turn in case of pension rights violations. The Ombudsman’s Office verifies the stated facts, sends requests to the authorities, and monitors their actions based on citizens’ appeals.
Also read:
In Ukraine, pensions for working retirees will be recalculated from 1 April
