For hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian citizens planning trips abroad, difficult times have arrived. New rules have come into force that effectively annul the validity of a whole layer of foreign passports. A document that recently allowed for legal border crossings can now become the reason for a refusal to board a flight or entry into another country.
The end of the temporary regime
As reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Migration Service of the Dnipropetrovsk region, the Cabinet of Ministers has officially cancelled the temporary order for the use of foreign passports with an extended validity period. This mechanism was introduced on an emergency basis at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. At that time, due to the limited operation of consular institutions abroad and difficulties in issuing new documents within the country, the authorities resorted to simplifying procedures.
However, this temporary status has now expired. The department emphasizes that "extended" passports are no longer recognized as valid for international travel. This applies to both adults and children whose documents were issued or extended under the simplified scheme.
Risks for travelers
The situation for holders of such documents looks critical. Without a valid foreign passport, it is impossible to legally cross the state border. In practice, this means that airlines have the full right to refuse a passenger boarding a flight, and border services of foreign states may not let a person through the border.
The Migration Service reminded citizens of the standard validity periods of documents: a standard foreign passport for citizens over 16 years old is issued for 10 years, and for children under 16 years old — for 4 years. Any deviations from these terms achieved through temporary extension mechanisms currently have no legal force.
What to do for those already abroad?
Particular concern is caused by the situation for those already abroad with an invalid passport. The Migration Service has explained the procedure: citizens must contact the nearest diplomatic mission of Ukraine to obtain a travel document for return to Ukraine. This is the only legal way to return home.
Problems with issuing new documents
The paradox of the situation is that replacing an expired or invalid document is currently extremely difficult. Previously, RBC-Ukraine reported serious delays in the production of foreign passports. The reason was Russian shelling of Kyiv. The "Ukraine" Polygraph Combine, responsible for printing documents, is forced to stop production and evacuate workers due to air raids, which directly affects passport issuance times.
Furthermore, citizens face the need to replace documents for other reasons. A passport is considered damaged and subject to mandatory replacement if it is impossible to identify the person, read the data, or check the details. For ID cards, the basis is damage to the chip. In conditions of a shortage of time and resources, these technical nuances become a serious obstacle to planning trips.