Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed Law No. 16094, which amends the deadlines for processing documents for foreigners and stateless persons serving under contract in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, and the National Guard. According to RBC-Ukraine, citing the Ministry of Defense, the key change is that foreign service members have been given additional time to obtain a temporary residence permit—the document can now be acquired until May 10, 2027.
Three Categories of Service Members and New Rules
The law establishes distinct rules depending on the date the contract was concluded. For foreigners who signed a contract before May 10, 2026, the deadline for applying for a residence permit has been extended from six months to one year from the date the previous law entered into force—effectively until May 10, 2027. For those who concluded a contract after May 10, 2026, but had not yet received their ID before the new law took effect, an opportunity to apply for it until May 10, 2027, is also provided. For foreigners signing contracts after the new law enters into force, their stay in Ukraine will be considered legal from the day of signing the contract until they receive the ID, but for no longer than three months.
Why the Deadlines Had to Be Extended
The need to alter the deadlines arose following the enactment of Law No. 4730-IX dated December 17, 2025, which required foreign military personnel to obtain temporary residence permits. For those already serving when that law took effect on May 10, 2026, a six-month period was allocated to process the document, which expires precisely on November 10, 2026. According to the Ministry of Defense, some service members failed to process their IDs due to performing combat missions and undergoing training. As Deputy Minister of Defense Liubov Halan explained, the changes take into account the conditions of military service, particularly the execution of combat tasks far from the unit's permanent location, which prevents foreign troops from always gathering documents on time and personally applying to the migration service. Until the residence permit is issued, the legality of staying in Ukraine can be confirmed by documents stipulated by law.
Status After Contract Termination
Separately, the law regulated the situation for service members who have terminated their contracts. In cases defined by law, if an individual lacks an ID or other document confirming the legality of their stay in Ukraine, they will be granted three months to regulate their status. The new law will enter into force on the day following its official publication.
Context: Foreign Volunteer Recruitment Program
The amendments come into force against the backdrop of Ukraine's ongoing program to attract foreign volunteers to the Defense Forces through verified companies. Such companies accompany candidates from the decision to come to Ukraine until the signing of the contract, and their remuneration is paid in stages upon completion of specific milestones. The government approved a payment of 300,000 hryvnias to recruiting agencies for each foreigner who signs a contract. The agency is responsible for the entire process—from searching for candidates to passing the military medical board; if a volunteer is deemed unfit for service, the company is obligated to organize their return to their homeland.
