Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Urges Citizens to Replace International Passports in Line with New Standards
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine officially announced to its citizens important changes in the regulations governing the issuance and validity periods of international passports, which came into effect on October 29, 2024.
This move is part of Ukraine’s efforts to align with international standards for travel documents amid ongoing challenges.
During the martial law period, Ukrainian citizens were allowed to use «extended» passports with prolonged validity and documents containing information about children — practices that no longer meet current international requirements.
Now, due to the return to standard procedures, Ukrainian citizens are obliged to exchange their old passports for new ones with a validity of up to 10 years for adults and up to 4 years for children.
This alignment is critical to avoiding difficulties at border crossings, as most countries worldwide mandate passports with a maximum validity period of 10 years.
Citizens holding temporary or extended passports are advised to contact Ukrainian embassies, consulates, or branches of the State Enterprise «Document» abroad to obtain the necessary new travel documents.
The government also reminded travelers that during the early days of full-scale invasion, due to the suspension of passport system operations, a temporary mechanism was introduced to extend passport validity.
Now, with the system restored and Ukrainian consulates reopened, citizens can again receive fully compliant passports.
Moving forward, the standards stipulate that adult passports will be valid for up to 10 years, and children’s passports — up to 4 years.
It is recommended that Ukrainians plan ahead to facilitate their re-documentation, especially if they intend to return to Ukraine or travel outside.
During the initial implementation phase, a special provisional mechanism allowed the extension of existing documents’ validity.
Citizens are urged to contact their local diplomatic missions for assistance.
For those with «extended» passports, a special document for crossing borders can be issued upon request—this is free for children under 16 and available at the usual consular fees for adults.
Additionally, there is a possibility of queues at border crossings with the European Union due to the introduction of the new Entry-Exit System (EES), making early preparation essential.