Registration of disability abroad

After the start of the full-scale invasion, many Ukrainians were forced to go abroad and stayed there for a long time. However, life goes on, and for many an important question arose - how to get a disability group while being outside Ukraine.

If you need a lawyer's consultation / legal assistance in registering a disability abroad, contact the Law Firm "Prіkhodko and Partners". Our medical lawyers know how to competently prepare and submit documents, avoiding bureaucratic obstacles.

How to register a disability group while abroad?

It should be noted that in 2025, it is possible to register a disability remotely in accordance with the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine 1338, but some aspects must be taken into account, in particular, the existence of an agreement between the countries on social security.

If you are in a country with which a cooperation agreement has been signed

Such countries include Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Spain, Estonia and Portugal. The procedure for granting disability will consist of the following stages:

1. It is necessary to undergo a medical examination, receive a diagnosis and determine the degree of functional impairment in accordance with the ICD-10.
2. The collected medical documents are submitted through the embassy / consulate of Ukraine, which transfers them to the Pension Fund of Ukraine.
3. After receiving the documents, the Pension Fund sends the documents to the Ministry of Health, where an expert team reviews and makes a
4. further decision on granting or refusing. The conclusion is adopted in absentia / using telemedicine.

If Ukraine does not have an agreement with the country of your stay

1. First of all, you should prepare medical certificates, which should contain a diagnosis according to ICD-10, a description of the violations and the results of the examinations.
2. All documents are translated into Ukrainian and certified in accordance with the legislation.
3. The package of documents can be sent by mail / electronic means of communication to the attending physician in Ukraine.
4. The expert team of the Ministry of Health carries out the assessment remotely and makes a decision.

Important! Medical documents issued in the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus are not accepted for consideration.

Another extreme option for registering a disability from abroad is to return to Ukraine and register the disability on site in person.

After the review is completed, the decision to establish a disability group is entered into the electronic healthcare system. In the absence of technical possibility, document flow is carried out in paper form.

Can disability obtained abroad be legalized in Ukraine?

Ukrainians who have received disability status abroad cannot automatically use it in Ukraine. In order for disability to be recognized on legal grounds, it must be established by the EKOPFO, even if you underwent a medical examination or received a decision in another state. Our lawyer will help legalize disability obtained outside of Ukraine, as well as go through all stages of assessment for assigning a group.

How to extend / confirm disability abroad 2025

As we have already noted above, citizens of Ukraine can confirm disability remotely according to the above procedure. To choose the right course of action, we recommend that you seek advice from a medical lawyer from the Law Firm "Prіkhodko and Partners", who will help you prepare documents and obtain a referral to the EKOPFO.

As for the extension of the validity of the disability certificate, its term is automatically considered extended for the entire period of martial law and for another six months after its end for persons who are abroad. This rule also applies to documents on the percentage of disability and the individual rehabilitation program.

Problems that arise when undergoing an examination by an expert team abroad

Passing the ECOPFO abroad may be accompanied by a number of difficulties that affect the speed and result of establishing disability. The most common of them are:

• Incorrectly executed or translated documents.
  Often, citizens submit medical certificates that do not meet the requirements of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and have an incorrect translation. Because of this, the expert team may refuse to consider the documents or require their revision.
• Refusal of a Ukrainian doctor to refer for examination by an expert team.
  Sometimes a family / attending physician refuses to form a referral due to the lack of sufficient grounds or non-compliance of the documents with the requirements.
• Non-compliance of the established disability group with expectations.
  The decision of the expert team is made solely on the basis of the documents provided and may differ from the expected group. If you disagree with the assessment result, you can appeal the decision - first to the Center for the Assessment of the Functional State of a Person, and then, if necessary, in court.

How much does a disability lawyer cost?

The cost of legal services depends on the scope of work and the complexity of the situation. For example, if you need a one-time consultation with a lawyer or additional analysis of documents, the price will be lower than full support of the disability determination procedure.

The cost of a lawyer's services is calculated individually, taking into account the country of your residence, the urgency and severity of the case.

How can we help?

Our medical lawyer at the Law Firm "Prіkhodko and Partners" provides comprehensive support for registration / extension of disability for persons staying abroad. We understand that the procedure is complex and requires special knowledge, so it is better to immediately contact a specialist to save time and nerves.

We help with:

• Analysis of documents and consultation on the correctness of registration of medical certificates and translations.
• Formation of a complete package of documents for submission for assessment.
• Obtaining a referral to the EKOPFO.
• Support during the examination / absentee consideration of the case.
• Appealing the decision of the expert team if you disagree with the determined disability group.

If you have any questions about registration or extension of a disability group abroad or you need to find out the price of a consultation, leave a request on the website - and our medical lawyer will contact you for an initial consultation.