E-consul in a smartphone: new services for Ukrainians abroad, announced by the Ministry of Digital Transformation
In the modern history of Ukraine from 2022 to 2025, it is unlikely that there will be a tool that has been so deeply embedded in the lives of millions of Ukrainians in the country and beyond, as the mobile application “Action”. Since its launch, it has grown from a symbol of the digital state to a real window into the Ukrainian bureaucracy for millions of people who have found themselves abroad due to the war. Today, when the need for affordable remote services has become even more urgent, Diya opens a new round of digitalization. Announced by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, the new functions of digital transformation — online driver’s license exam, car customs clearance, submitting an application for a surname change and digital access to consular services — form a new level of accessibility of the state for those who live outside its borders.
Change of surname and consular services
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov reported, that the application will have the function of taking the online driver’s license exam, the possibility of customs clearance of the car, submitting an application for a surname change, and access to consular services. At the same time, more than 150 administrative services have already been implemented on the “Actions” portal, and the user base exceeds 22.7 million citizens. Therefore, the government’s plans indicate the expansion of the “Action” functionality in a direction that meets the needs of both Ukrainian citizens in the Motherland and the diaspora.
For many Ukrainians abroad, registration of a surname change is a legal necessity after marriage, divorce or loss of documents. And although this service currently often requires a physical presence in Ukraine or a consulate, Diya promises a digital breakthrough in this area. This is especially true for single mothers who cannot leave their child and leave the country of residence, or for military personnel who find it difficult to get to the National Health Service through service.
Consular services in Diya are an important gesture towards those who have left the war and need legal confirmation of their status, submission of applications, processing of powers of attorney, passports or extracts. If these services really become full-fledged and do not require additional bureaucratic obstacles, then this will be a real reform for millions of Ukrainians who have found themselves outside the country.
Online car rights and customs clearance
The ability to take the driving test online is one of the most anticipated features, especially for young people who have had to interrupt their studies or move to another country. This can open the way to obtaining Ukrainian documents without returning home. The same applies to the car customs clearance procedure: at a time when Ukrainians are buying vehicles abroad and planning to return, a transparent and digital customs clearance system is critically important. In the conditions of war, when logistics and transport infrastructure are experiencing a collapse, the state tries not to complicate, but to simplify these processes.
However, a number of questions arise. How secure will the identity verification system be for online exams? Are the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Service Centers ready for the validation of such exams? What will be the appeal mechanism in case of technical failure or suspected fraud? Issues of fairness, safety and trust in results are no less important than convenience itself.
Medical office and pension in one touch
Among the new functions announced are also the creation of a medical office and a new approach to registration and receipt of pensions. A doctor’s office can be critical for the chronically ill, people with disabilities, those who are away for a long time but want to keep track of their vaccinations, prescriptions, diagnoses and examinations. If the system allows for the integration of foreign medical reports, it will significantly facilitate access to medical services upon returning to Ukraine.
As for pensions, the Ministry declares an ambitious goal: to make the registration and payment of a pension the most convenient service in the world. This is an ambitious statement, especially given the realities of the Pension Fund and the difficulties with accrual of seniority in wartime conditions. But if the electronic pension is truly automatic, transparent and convenient, it will reduce the number of errors, queues and lengthy proceedings.
AI, eExcise and eNotary
Fedorov also emphasized the preparation for the launch of eExcise and eNotary. This means moving towards a transparent accounting system for excise goods — alcohol, tobacco, fuel, which for years were the area of shadow schemes. In turn, a digital notary can radically change the practice of signing agreements — from inheritance to the purchase of a home. If all stages are transferred to “Diya” – with verification of persons, signing of documents, payment of fees – it will be a revolution in the legal sector, and not only for residents.
At the same time, in his statement, Fedorov clearly articulated the focus on analytical data, artificial intelligence and effective management of human capital. If this translates into specific algorithms capable of telling managers how to allocate resources or plan policies, then digitalization will truly become a tool for development, not just a facade for reforms.
The updates to the Diya application announced by the Ministry of Digital Transformation indicate a gradual change in the format of the state’s interaction with citizens outside the country. The possibility of an online driver’s license test, submission of documents for a surname change, access to consular services, and in the future – digital functions of the notary, medical system and pension provision – all this forms the basis for Diya to partially perform the functions of consular institutions.
It is not a matter of completely replacing diplomatic channels, but of providing a real tool to those who cannot physically visit the National Security Agency or the Consulate. It is for such users — people who live in other countries, but maintain a legal, family or household connection with Ukraine — that the ability to solve basic administrative issues online is fundamental.
The effectiveness of these solutions will depend on how technically reliable the proposed services will be. If the state can guarantee functionality, verification, protection of personal data and logical integration between different structures, then these functions will not be the exception, but the new standard of service to citizens, regardless of their place of residence. In this sense, the role of “Diya” as a conditional e-consul is fully justified.
