Ukrainian refugees in the United States: difficulties with the renewal of a Ukrainian passport
After the start of the full-scale war, many Ukrainians found themselves abroad, in particular in the United States of America, seeking protection from the war. According to statistics, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have used temporary programs such as Uniting for Ukraine to find asylum in the United States. However, due to a long stay outside Ukraine, many have questions about updating documents, in particular passports, which are key for legalization and access to services. The problem is that it is impossible to renew a Ukrainian passport in the US without a trip to Ukraine, where there are no territorial bodies of the State Migration Service of Ukraine (SMS), responsible for issuing passports.
Why can’t you renew your Ukrainian passport in the US?
The passport processing system of Ukraine is highly centralized, and today it is served by territorial bodies of the State Customs Service, which operate only on the territory of Ukraine and in some European countries. Because of this, in order to replace the internal passport of a citizen of Ukraine, it is necessary to be present in person on the territory of Ukraine. However, there are options for solving this situation, which allow Ukrainians in the US to use their old passport or use some alternatives.
Is it necessary to replace the Ukrainian passport urgently?
At the beginning of the full-scale war, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a resolution that temporarily extended the validity of some documents. According to this decision, if your domestic passport or ID card has expired 30 days before February 24, 2022 or during war, it will remain valid until the end of martial law. This means that many Ukrainians who have old sample passports or ID cards may not have to worry about replacing their documents before returning to Ukraine after the war ends.
Also, old-style passports issued before 1994, where the photo card was not updated, remain valid for the same period. This decision allows Ukrainians not to waste time on complicated procedures for replacing passports in the midst of a military conflict.
What to do if you ordered a passport but returned to the US
If you have already ordered a new passport or ID card in Ukraine or a diplomatic institution abroad, but returned to the United States and did not have time to pick up the document, your passport can be delivered through the Embassy of Ukraine. However, this service has limitations — it does not apply to men of draft age who are overseas during martial law.
Options for Ukrainians in the USA
Ukrainians in the USA have several options to avoid problems with documents:
- Use the old passport. According to Ukrainian legislation, old passports remain valid during martial law. This allows Ukrainians in the US not to return to Ukraine just to replace the document.
- Consular assistance. Although consulates cannot issue a new passport, they can provide advice and help with other documents you may need in the US.
- Contact immigration attorneys. In case of difficulties with identity documents, Ukrainians can turn to lawyers who will help find alternative ways of legalization in the USA.
- Request for a certificate of citizenship. The consulate can issue a certificate of Ukrainian citizenship, which can serve as an additional document confirming your Ukrainian citizenship if necessary.
Experts advise avoiding excessive concern about replacing passports, because Ukrainian legislation allows the use of existing documents until the end of martial law. It is important to keep all available documents safe and, if necessary, use the services of the consulate to resolve urgent issues.
