During martial law in Ukraine, restrictions on travel abroad are in place for men aged 18 to 60. Certain categories of persons are exempt, including those with reserved worker status. However, the procedure for travel abroad even for this category remains incompletely regulated.
As reported by the publication "Law and Business" with reference to the Ministry of Justice, the opportunity to cross the state border is available to those liable for military service who are not officially subject to mobilization. This is provided for by paragraph 1 of part one of Article 23 of the law "On Mobilization Training and Mobilization". This category includes reserved employees who are on special military registration.
However, the current Rules for Crossing the State Border clearly stipulate only the procedure for the departure of booked persons on a business trip. As for the possibility of traveling outside Ukraine on vacation, there are no direct regulations yet, and therefore the decision on the permit is made separately in each case by border guards.
In addition, certain categories of civil servants, including members of the Cabinet of Ministers, deputy ministers, judges, prosecutors, and local council members, cannot cross the border for vacation, even if they formally have reserved status.
What documents are needed for departure:
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Passport of a citizen of Ukraine for traveling abroad
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Military registration document (paper or digital in the Reserve+ application) with a reservation mark and entry in the "Oberig" register
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An extract from the leave order (or a copy thereof) indicating the purpose, terms, country and position
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Additional documents confirming the purpose of the trip
Also, the absence of violations of military registration and judicial restrictions is a mandatory condition.
The Ministry of Justice emphasizes that the rules may change, and therefore recommends clarifying the procedure for crossing the border directly with the State Border Guard Service, in particular by calling 1598 or other communication channels. The final decision is made directly at the checkpoint, which means an individual approach to each case.
