Residence permit in Ukraine for an American

The process of obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine for an American is no different from the rules for any other foreigner. The main step is choosing the type you want. A temporary residence permit will be appropriate for employment abroad, but it will need to be reissued, and you can stay in the country for no more than 90 days. A permanent residence permit offers a wider range of opportunities, including entries and exits. It is long-term, and the annual renewal procedure is optional.

The procedure for obtaining a residence permit for Americans is the same as for other foreigners. For a temporary residence permit, you must have a package of documents, grounds, a certificate of employment and an IM1 visa.

Getting a permanent residence permit is much more difficult. In addition to these requirements, it must be borne in mind that there is a quota. If an American does not fall into it, then the only possibility of obtaining a residence permit is the presence of family ties in Ukraine. It should be noted that the list of documents is not fixed, and its list is formed on the basis of a specific case.

TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT RESIDENCE PERMIT IN UKRAINE

Nowadays, more and more often foreign citizens are faced with the urgent need to live in Ukraine for a certain period of time or without a time limit. Thus, there are several options for permits, having received one of which, a foreigner will be able to stay for a long time within a particular state.

A residence permit is a document that grants a resident of a foreign state the right to stay on the territory of Ukraine and legalizes the location of a foreigner within the state. It should be noted that obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine is only one of several possible ways to legalize the residence of a foreign resident in the country. Among the procedures that provide similar services, one can also highlight the acquisition of citizenship, the right to immigration, and more. We emphasize that the legal force of the above documents and the procedure for their registration are not the same.

Permanent and temporary residence permit in Ukraine

If we talk about the possible types of documents, it should be noted that residents of foreign countries can apply for a temporary or permanent residence permit in Ukraine. The choice depends not only on the needs and requirements of the foreigner, but also on the availability of a proper basis and the package of required documents.

Thus, a temporary residence permit contains certain restrictions in the process of a foreign citizen’s stay on the territory of Ukraine. This is due to the fact that the document works according to the “90/180” system. This means that a resident of a foreign state can stay within Ukraine for a maximum of 90 days. After that, a mandatory procedure is to leave the territory of Ukraine for at least the same period of time. Moreover, one should not forget about the mandatory procedure for the annual renewal of the legal force of the permit.

A permanent residence permit does not imply the presence of the above restrictions, however, the procedure for its registration is more complicated and requires a more weighty basis. Among the advantages, one should highlight the fact that a resident of a foreign country who has issued a permanent residence permit in Ukraine gets the opportunity to freely enter the territory of the state, leave Ukraine without restrictions, as well as the right to freely cross the borders of the country. Equalization of a foreigner with an indigenous citizen of Ukraine is no less important, which is manifested in the assignment of the rights of a Ukrainian to a resident of another state, as well as in the possibility of employment without a work permit. Moreover, a foreigner has the right to an indefinite stay on the territory of Ukraine without limiting the time period. An equally important point is the absence of the need to extend the legal force of the permit after a year from the date of receipt of the document.

Residence permit in Ukraine: a package of required documents

First of all, it should be said here that the list of necessary documents for obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine is not fixed and is once approved. This is due to the individuality of each specific case. Thus, the list of documents depends on several factors, the main of which are the following:

• required type of residence permit;
• the basis for registration of the document (family reunification with a citizen of Ukraine, obtaining higher education in the country, employment within the state, investment in the state economy, the status of a guardian of an incapacitated resident of Ukraine, etc.);
• the purpose of obtaining the permit;
• the country of origin of a foreign citizen and more.

However, it is necessary to pay attention to the following point: there is a list of documents that will be required by a non-resident of Ukraine to obtain a residence permit in any case and regardless of the above factors. Of these, the following can be distinguished:

• passport of a foreign citizen or other document proving the identity of a foreigner;
• identification code (if any);
• migration card or type “D” visa (in the event that a visa agreement has been established with the country of origin of the foreign citizen);
• four photos measuring 3.5 x 4.5 on matte paper;
• confirmation of no criminal record;
• certificate of payment of the state fee;
• marriage document (if any);
• documentary evidence of the basis for obtaining a residence permit;
  medical insurance policy;
• a statement of a resident of a foreign citizen, drawn up according to the sample, and more.

As we mentioned above, a certain package of documents also depends on the basis for obtaining a residence permit. Thus, several categories can be distinguished here, some of which are the following:

• employment in Ukraine: work permit (in the case of a temporary residence permit);
• a document of the receiving party on the acceptance and approval of a foreign citizen for a specific workplace and for a specific position at a specific enterprise;
• family reunification with a citizen of Ukraine: document on the combination of marriage;
• passport of a relative who is in the status of a resident of Ukraine;
• family reunification with a non-resident of the state who has issued a residence permit in Ukraine: documentary evidence of family ties; passport of the representative of the receiving party;
• documentary evidence and justification for the presence of a residence permit on the territory of Ukraine;
• obtaining education on the territory of Ukraine: an extract from an educational institution on the stay of a foreign resident in the status of a student of a Ukrainian university;
• an application issued by an educational institution.

Residence permit in Ukraine: the procedure for obtaining

The procedure for obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine is quite simple and provides for a resident of another state to go through several stages:

Collection and preparation of the required package of documents according to the list, which, as we have already noted, is set individually for each specific case in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine.
Application of a non-resident of the state to the migration authorities of Ukraine. In the event that a foreigner stays on the territory of Ukraine, then he must contact the SMS at the place of residence. If a resident of another state is outside the territory of the state, he should contact the foreign mission of Ukraine.
Submission of an application and a prepared package of documents. We emphasize that it is only possible to personally submit an application for a residence permit. However, in some situations provided for by the current legislation of Ukraine, this condition is not mandatory.

Residence permit in Ukraine: non-resident rights

According to the Law of Ukraine “On Immigration” and other legislative acts, a foreign citizen who has issued a residence permit in Ukraine acquires the rights of indigenous residents of the state, among which the following can be distinguished:

• the right to live:
• for education;
• the right to banking services;
• the right to free medicine;
• the right to freedom of movement;
• the right to work without a permit;
• the right to import a car or other vehicle into the territory of the state;
• the right to pension payments and more.

However, for a foreigner who has issued a residence permit, certain restrictions are provided, in contrast to a resident of the state, including:

the ability to elect and be elected;
the opportunity to work in government agencies and law enforcement agencies.

Residence permit in Ukraine: reasons for cancellation

The legislation of Ukraine provides for several situations in which the procedure for canceling the legal force of a residence permit obtained by a foreign resident in Ukraine takes place:

• obtaining a document based on false information, forged documents or documents that have lost their validity;
• conviction of an immigrant to imprisonment on the territory of Ukraine for more than one year;
• the commission by a non-resident of Ukraine of acts that constitute a threat to the national security of Ukraine, as well as public order on the territory of the state;
• the need for a procedure in order to protect health, protect the rights and interests of residents of Ukraine;
• violation by a foreign citizen of the legislation of Ukraine on the legal status of foreigners and stateless persons;
• motivated and substantiated application of the host party for the cancellation of the residence permit, and more.

Residence permit in Ukraine: document replacement

We have already repeatedly told you about the need for annual renewal of the temporary residence permit. However, in some situations, this procedure is also mandatory for a permanent document type. Thus, the residence permit must be replaced if there are appropriate reasons and grounds, among which the following can be distinguished:

• change of individual data and personal information of a resident of a foreign state;
• identification of inconsistencies between the data specified when issuing a residence permit and information recorded in other documents of a foreign resident;
• physical unsuitability of the residence permit as a result of mechanical damage to the document;
• replacement of a photo in a residence permit as a result of a foreign citizen reaching the age of 25 or 45.

Separately, it should be said that in case of refusal to timely replace the document, the foreigner will be forced to pay the penalties established by law.

Residence permit in Ukraine: time and cost of registration

The duration and cost of the process of obtaining a residence permit are personalized for each specific case. This is due to the fact that the time and cost of processing the document are not fixed, but are set individually and depend on a number of different factors, among which are the following: the required type of residence permit, the need for an accelerated procedure for obtaining a permit, the basis for obtaining a residence permit, prepared a package of required documents and more.

If we are talking about differences in the procedure for obtaining a temporary and permanent residence permit, then we emphasize that the latter requires much more time. First of all, for its registration, an important condition is to obtain an immigration permit (within one year), and the process of obtaining a residence permit itself takes 7 days. The duration of obtaining a temporary residence permit is no more than 15 days from the date of filing the necessary documents and drawing up an application.

Residence permit in Ukraine: purchase of real estate

The presence or purchase of real estate on the territory of Ukraine provides significant advantages for foreign residents who apply for a residence permit in the state. This not only allows a foreigner to stay within the country for a long period of time, but also provides privileges in the issue of obtaining a residence permit.

An important point is to clarify that according to the Law of Ukraine “On Immigration” and other legislative acts, the presence of real estate on the territory of the state is not a reason for obtaining a residence permit.

For an individual consultation on the issue of obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine, we suggest you contact our consulting center. Our experts will answer all your questions and provide personalized information.

We will help you obtain a residence permit in Ukraine of any type for US citizens at an affordable price and in the shortest possible time!