How can a foreign journalist get a temporary residence permit in Ukraine?

Journalism as a ground

The Law on the legal status of foreigners names work as a correspondent or representative of foreign media among the grounds for staying in Ukraine. Subparagraph 8 of paragraph 33 of Procedure No. 322 sets out the documents for it. On top of the basic package, you file a request from the foreign media outlet and a submission from Держкомтелерадіо (State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, Derzhkomteleradio).

Our guide to the TRP describes the general procedure for a посвідка (temporary residence permit, TRP). This article focuses on what sets the journalist ground apart.

A special regime under martial law

Journalists enjoy a concession that other foreigners do not have. The procedure for extending a stay, approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 150, contains a special rule. Limits on the length of temporary stay do not apply to correspondents and representatives of foreign media for the period of martial law and 30 days after it ends.

In practice, a foreign correspondent does not have to count days under the 90/180 rule or rush to obtain a TRP while martial law lasts. A TRP is still useful during this time. You need it to register your place of residence, to deal with banks and for a number of everyday procedures, and without it you will have to apply on tight deadlines once the concession period is over.

No work permit needed

Part six of Article 42 of the Law "On Employment of the Population" exempts staff of foreign media accredited to work in Ukraine from the дозвіл на застосування праці (work permit). The outlet does not apply for a permit at the employment centre, and the basis for working and staying is the accreditation together with the TRP documents. Other exemptions are collected in the article on exemptions from the work permit.

The exemption covers work for the foreign outlet only. If a journalist is also employed by a Ukrainian company, that job needs a permit on general terms. The same applies to teaching or consulting under a contract with a Ukrainian employer when this is an employment relationship rather than work for the newsroom.

Documents

Your basic package consists of the passport, its translation, an insurance policy, the fee receipt and a document confirming your tax number if you have one. Two documents are added to it. One is a request from the media outlet sending the correspondent, and the other is a submission from Derzhkomteleradio. The basic items are explained in the article on documents for a TRP.

Newsroom documents issued abroad need a translation and, depending on the country, legalisation. Most nationalities need a type D visa before applying for the TRP, although the martial-law concession on length of stay takes some of the pressure off.

When the work for the outlet ends

The ground rests on your link with a particular media outlet. If the cooperation ends, the ground for the TRP disappears. Moving to another newsroom requires a new request and a new submission. Other grounds you could switch to are compared in the article on grounds for a TRP.

The correspondent's family

Correspondents who relocate for a long time often bring their families. Family members get permits through family reunification on general terms, with documents proving the family relationship, proof of sufficient funds and the correspondent's own TRP. The martial-law concession on length of stay applies to journalists but not to their relatives, so the family needs permits sooner. Details are in the article on a TRP for a family member.

After you get the permit

A TRP opens the way to registering your place of residence, getting a tax number and dealing with banks. Journalists who move around the country a lot should remember that each change of housing means registering the place of residence again. The list of obligations is in the article on steps after getting a TRP.

Before a work trip abroad, check the card's expiry date. Since 2026 an expired temporary permit no longer gives the right to return, as explained in the article on travelling abroad with a TRP.

Lawyer's experience

Foreign journalists most often come to us when the concession seems endless but everyday issues have already piled up. The bank asks for proof of lawful residence, the landlord wants the address registered. That is when it becomes clear that a TRP is needed, even though the length of stay is formally unlimited.

My advice to correspondents is not to wait for martial law to end. The concession lasts only for the period of martial law and a short time afterwards, while getting a TRP takes weeks, including the newsroom's request and the Derzhkomteleradio submission. It is better to have the card in hand well in advance.

If your newsroom has sent you to work in Ukraine, we handle the residence permit process together with preparing the documents from the outlet.

Frequently asked questions