Consular services for men abroad

In 2024–2025, a number of amendments to the Law on Mobilization (bill № 3633-IX and subsequent ones) came into force, affecting the procedure for providing consular services to men aged 18 to 60 years. If you are interested in a consultation on this topic, the lawyers of the "Prikhodko & Partners" Law Firm team offer this category of services. Such requests are at the intersection of two areas of jurisprudence – military and migration law. We have sufficient experience in this, and we know how to help you really effectively.

What should you know about legislative regulation?

Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers № 443 of April 23, 2024 limited the transfer of passports for issuance to men aged 18-60 through foreign diplomatic missions. Such documents began to be issued only through territorial divisions of the SMS in Ukraine. In turn, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued official instructions (by letter), and not a formal order, which caused discussions about sufficient legal grounds for restrictions.

Since May 18, 2024, the acceptance of new applications for consular actions for men aged 18-60 has been resumed, however, these services are available to them only if they have a military registration document (MRD). It can be either in paper or electronic form.

It should be noted that paper MRD were valid until June 18, 2024, subsequently only electronic ones became relevant (via the Reserve+ application or e-office). The e-MRD must be issued no earlier than 3 days before applying to the consulate. A tool such as a QR code allows you to instantly check the relevant data.

What services are now available with a military ID?

The following services are available only upon presentation of a current military registration document:

• registration/extension of foreign passports;
• certification of documents, notarial actions;
• other consular services.

It is also worth mentioning those services that do not require a military registration document. The first of these exceptions is the registration of a "white" passport (certificate for returning to Ukraine). Also, a military registration document is not required to perform actions in relation to children when one of the parents is a foreigner or a stateless person. And the last exception is consular services for persons arrested or deprived of liberty abroad.

How to make an appointment at the consulate?

To receive consular services, you must first update your military registration data. You can generate an e-MRD via the Reserve+ application or your e-office no earlier than 3 days before your visit. We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the requirements of the consulate - check the work schedule and the list of documents required for the consular service you want to attend. As a rule, you need to take your passport, military registration document, photo according to requirements, payment receipt, etc.

As for making an appointment, it is available through the online platform of the diplomatic institution, if there is such an option, or by email or phone. The next step is collecting and submitting documents. You need to take your passport, application, photo, payment receipt and military registration document. During the appointment, the consul will scan the QR code of the military registration document and check its relevance.

After the application is processed and the document is produced, it is issued in accordance with the internal procedures of the consulate.

What to do in case of refusal?

If you have been denied consular services, the reason may be an invalid or out-of-date MRD. These services are also denied if the man is not registered with the TCC or if a violation of the military registration rules on his part is recorded.

In this case, no earlier than 3 days later, you need to generate a new E-MRD, correct the deficiencies and register again. As for filing a complaint, this can be done through the consulate in accordance with the Regulation on Foreign Diplomatic Institutions.

How will our legal support be useful?

When you seek legal assistance from the specialists of the law firm "Prikhodko & Partners", you can order the following services:

• analysis of the legality of the consul's decision (we will analyze the compliance of such a decision with the law and internal instructions);
• preparation of official requests/complaints to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Migration Service, the prosecutor's office (this is relevant if violations were identified on the part of the representatives of the consular office);
• legal protection in court or in an administrative manner if the refusal is unlawful.

Men aged 18-60 abroad have a legal right to consular services. However, access to these services is only possible after fulfilling the above-mentioned obligations regarding military registration. Electronic MRD through "Reserve+" have significantly simplified the procedure, but they need timely updates.

If you are faced with a refusal of consular services, you should react immediately, namely, create a new MRD, submit written requests and, if necessary, involve a lawyer. You can order our services by filling out the feedback form on the website.