The Cabinet of Ministers has canceled the extension of the validity of foreign passports for more than 10 years. This is stated in the message of the Department of Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Facebook, the Ukrainian News agency reports.
The Department said that since October 29, 2025, there have been changes in the passport sphere, in particular, the government has approved amendments to the resolution, which in February 2022 introduced a temporary procedure for extending the validity of passports and entering information about children.
It is noted that the legislation of most countries of the world allows crossing borders only with passports (usually biometric) with a validity period of no more than 10 years, so traveling with "extended" passports and entering information about children creates inconveniences when crossing borders.
"We are returning to the world practice and international standards for issuing passport documents, as the key requirements are:
validity of a passport for persons aged 16 years and older - a maximum of 10 years;
validity of a foreign passport for children under the age of 16 - a maximum of 4 years;
the presence of a separate foreign passport for each citizen," the statement said.
It is noted that citizens of Ukraine whose passports are about to expire can apply to the embassy/consulate or one of the branches of the "Document" State Enterprise for a new foreign biometric passport for themselves and their children.
The Department also answered the most frequently asked questions:
I am in one of the EU countries and urgently return to Ukraine with an extended passport and/or information about my child/children entered in the passport. The border guards of the EU country do not allow me and/or my children to enter Ukraine. What should I do?
Contact the nearest Ukrainian embassy/consulate and obtain an identity card for returning to Ukraine.
How long does it take to issue an identity card for returning to Ukraine (white passport) and how much does it cost?
A certificate for returning to Ukraine (if there is confirmation of Ukrainian citizenship and identity) is issued on the day of application. Children under 16 years of age are issued free of charge. Persons over 16 years of age - according to the approved consular fee rates.
I am in Ukraine and returning to one of the EU countries with an extended passport and/or information about my child/children entered in the passport. The border guards of the EU country do not let me and/or my children in. What should I do?
In this case, you should contact any nearest (regardless of the place of registration in Ukraine) branch of the "Document" State Enterprise, a Center for the Provision of Administrative Services or territorial subdivision of the Migration Service in Ukraine to obtain a new passport.
I have an "extended" foreign passport and want to fly, for example, from the US or Canada to one of the Schengen countries. Will the air carrier let me on the plane?
According to the international standards of ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), the air carrier has the right to allow citizens with passports valid for up to 10 years only (i.e. "non-expired") to board the aircraft.
The Department reminded that Ukrainian legislation allows each citizen to have two foreign passports.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, in February 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers introduced a temporary procedure for extending the validity of passports and entering information about children in them. This resolution was adopted on the fifth day of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine due to the failure of Ukraine's passport system, which made it impossible to issue new passports, so as an exceptional measure, a temporary procedure for extending the validity of passports and entering information about children was introduced.
Soon after the system resumed its work, Ukrainian embassies and consulates resumed issuing passports, and citizens were also able to issue passport documents in the newly established branches of the "Document" State Enterprise abroad.
The State Migration Service has previously explained the procedure for issuing passports to men abroad.
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