A special document, called a “certificate” (posvidka), is issued to foreigners or stateless persons to confirm their right to stay in Ukraine for a long time. It would seem that obtaining such confirmation should not be difficult for a person who has all legitimate reasons for that. However, how real is it possible for a foreign citizen to collect the necessary documents and comply with all legislative requirements so that his stay in the territory of Ukraine would be legal?
Clear list of reasons to get a temporary residence of Ukraine
According to the law of Ukraine, the application for temporary residence may be obtained by foreigners and stateless persons who have arrived in Ukraine to participate in the implementation of international technical assistance projects, for the purpose of preaching religious beliefs or to participate in the activities of representations of foreign business entities or foreign banks, structural units of non-governmental organizations of foreign countries. Also contemporary residence is ussued to foreigners and stateless persons who arrived in Ukraine to participate in international and regional volunteer programs, for work as correspondents or representatives of foreign mass media, performing cultural, scientific, educational activities on the grounds and in the manner prescribed by international treaties of Ukraine or special programs. However, most certificates are issued to foreigners and stateless persons who have come to study, family reunification and employment.
For each of the listed categories, the law “On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons” specifies a clear list of grounds for which a person may obtain a temporary residence permit. Thus, a foreigner can get Ukrainian temporary residence permit if during his legal stay in Ukraine, he has married a person with Ukrainian citizenship. In this case, the grounds for issuing the certificate (“posvidka”) are the application, the marriage certificate and the medical insurance. In practice, a foreigner will have to leave Ukraine, get a D-type visa (long-term) with a mark “family reunion” and enter again.
In addition to the passport and the listed documents, foreigners and stateless persons will have to provide a certified translation of the passport page with personal data in Ukrainian, a submission by the host party, a receipt for payment of a state duty or a document confirming the availability of benefits for its payment, four photographs and documents required for each separate category of foreigners. In the case of the reunification of two foreigners, a document is also submitted on the availability of adequate financial security from the host party. This document is usually issued as a notarial statement in which the host party requests that a foreigner-relative be issued a certificate and that he assumes all expenses associated with the stay of a member of his family and guarantees his residence in the territory of Ukraine, as well as timely departure from Ukraine, if necessary. Persons with an identification number must provide a copy of it.
Time barriers
In case of successful submission of documents, the certificate (Ukrainian temporary residence permit) must be issued no later than in 15 days. In practice, a ready-made document is taken by a foreigner at foster-hours exactly in 2 weeks. Another person may submit documents by power of attorney, presenting the original of a foreigner’s passport, but only a foreigner can obtain a completed certificate personally.
Upon receipt of the temporary residence permit, the foreigner must register within ten days at the address indicated earlier. Since the law is not clearly spelled out, which are the days from time limit, the competent authorities estimate it in the calendar, not working days. Usually the certificate is issued the day after the decision was made. In order for a foreigner to be registered with the apartment owners and those who already live there, it is necessary to visit the ZHEK and the Department for Citizenship, Immigration and Registration of Natural Persons and again face the drag.
The happy owners of the Ukrainian temporary residence permit are usually unpleasantly surprised by its appearance: it is a rectangle made of cardboard, in which all information is printed in Ukrainian + photo.
In general, the procedure for obtaining a Ukrainian temporary residence permit is still difficult and expedient for a foreigner or stateless person.
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