How can a foreign priest or religious worker get a residence permit in Ukraine?

Religious activity as a ground for a TRP

Among the grounds for a foreigner's stay, the Law on the legal status of foreigners names arrival for religious activity. Subparagraph 3 of paragraph 33 of Procedure No. 322 spells this out. It covers foreigners who come to preach religious teachings, perform rites or carry out other canonical activity at the invitation of religious organisations and with the approval of the authority that registered the organisation's statute.

On top of the basic package, this ground requires two documents, a submission from the religious organisation and an approval from a state authority. The general procedure for a посвідка (temporary residence permit, TRP) is described in our guide to the TRP, and every ground is compared in the article on grounds for a TRP.

Approval from the authority that registered the statute

It is the approval that most often holds a case up. The Procedure does not accept just any letter. It requires approval from the particular state authority that registered the religious organisation's statute, so the first thing to establish is which authority registered the statute of your organisation.

Obtain the approval before the foreigner files documents with the ДМС (State Migration Service, DMS). A submission from the organisation without the approval counts as an incomplete package, and that is a ground for refusal. If the foreigner is still abroad and needs a type D visa, both the approval and the submission will be needed as early as the visa stage.

Work permit

Part six of Article 42 of the Law "On Employment of the Population" exempts certain foreign clergy from the дозвіл на застосування праці (work permit). The exemption covers those who are temporarily in Ukraine at the invitation of religious organisations for canonical activity only within those organisations, with official approval from the authority that registered the statute. These conditions apply together, and each one matters.

Suppose a cleric also works elsewhere, for example teaching at a commercial school. That job no longer falls under the exemption, and the employer has to obtain a permit for it on general terms. Other exemptions are described in the article on exemptions from the work permit.

Basic package and visa

Besides the documents from the organisation, you file the usual basic package:

Each item is explained in detail in the article on documents for a TRP.

Documents issued by a religious centre abroad, such as a decision to send the cleric to Ukraine, need legalisation and a translation. Depending on the country, this means an apostille or consular legalisation.

• a passport with a type D visa, if your nationality needs one;
• a translation of the personal data page;
• a medical insurance policy covering the whole term of the TRP;
• proof of payment of the administrative fee;
• a document confirming your tax number, if you have one.

When the ministry ends

The TRP rests on the invitation and the approval. Once the ministry at the organisation comes to an end, the ground disappears. The organisation, as host party, may apply to the DMS, and the permit is then withdrawn under paragraph 63 of Procedure No. 322. Moving to another religious organisation requires a new submission and a new approval, because the ground is tied to one specific organisation.

The cleric's family

If the cleric comes with a spouse and children, they get their own permits through family reunification. Paragraph 33 of Procedure No. 322 extends this ground to family members of foreigners who live in Ukraine on the basis of religious activity. They will need documents proving the family relationship, proof of sufficient funds and the cleric's TRP. How this works is described in the article on a TRP for a family member.

First steps after the permit

Once the card is issued, the cleric registers their place of residence at the ЦНАП (administrative service centre, TsNAP). Where the housing is provided by the religious organisation, the owner or the organisation has to agree to the registration. A tax number will be needed for the bank and for many everyday contracts. These steps are collected in the article on what to do after getting a TRP. Remember, too, to exchange the permit whenever you replace your passport, since a missed exchange deadline is a ground for withdrawal.

Lawyer's experience

Approval takes up the most time in these cases. Organisations often do not know which authority registered their statute, especially if the registration is old or the statute has since been amended. I recommend starting with an extract from the register showing the organisation's current status, and working out from there which authority to approach.

My second tip concerns wording. The submission should state plainly that the foreigner is coming for canonical activity within this particular organisation. Vague phrasing such as "for cooperation" gives the DMS a reason to doubt that the ground fits paragraph 33.

If your community is inviting a cleric from abroad, we handle the residence permit process together with preparing the submission.

Frequently asked questions