One stamp can simplify obtaining protection: what Ukrainians are advised to do before traveling to the EU

Ukrainians who plan to apply for temporary protection in European Union countries for the first time are advised to arrange in advance confirmation of a lawful crossing of the Ukrainian border. This may help avoid additional checks and requests to provide other documents, in particular information regarding fulfillment of military obligations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported this in response to a request from RBC-Ukraine. The recommendations are related to the new rules set out in Council Decision (EU) 2026/1912.

The Council of the EU decision is formulated without distinction by sex. Earlier a European Commission representative also explained that the relevant provisions may apply to women if, under Ukrainian law, they have military obligations.

The simplest confirmation — a State Border Guard Service exit stamp in the international passport.

That is why, during subsequent trips citizens are advised to:

• check during Ukrainian border control whether an exit stamp was placed;
• if the stamp is not placed automatically – ask the border guard to put it;
• keep the passport with the stamp for possible presentation to the migration authorities of the country of stay.

The Council of the EU decision itself explicitly states that a lawful crossing of the border or an exit stamp in the passport may be evidence that a person had the right to leave Ukraine.

The absence of a stamp does not mean that confirming the exit is impossible.

A citizen or their legal representative can contact the Main Center for Special Information Processing of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and obtain official information about crossings of the state border.

Such a document may contain:

• date and time of crossing;
• direction – entry or exit;
• checkpoint;
• details of the document used by the person to cross the border.

The request can be submitted, in particular, remotely. Official data from the Main Center confirm the possibility of obtaining information about one’s own border crossings.

If an EU country cannot confirm the lawfulness of a person’s departure from Ukraine, the new rules allow requiring another official proof of fulfillment or absence of the relevant military obligations.

Such evidence may be a document:

• in paper form;
• in electronic form;
• including information from “Rezerv+”, if it is applicable to the specific person.

At the same time, the MFA earlier emphasized that cases when data from “Rezerv+” were requested from Ukrainian women in EU countries are not widespread. Mostly this happened when applicants could not show clear confirmation of lawful departure from Ukraine.

“If confirmation of lawful departure is available, there should be no need to provide information from ‘Rezerv+’,” the MFA explained.

Important point: the rules do not automatically apply to all Ukrainians who are already living in the EU with temporary protection.

In the current, amended text of the Council of the EU decision it is stated that the new requirement does not apply to people who:

• had temporary protection in a specific EU country on or before 4 August 2026;
• after that date continuously retain that status in the same country.

Requirements to confirm fulfillment of military obligations apply from 5 August 2026.

If during the processing of temporary protection the authorities of an EU country require documents that the person cannot provide, or a dispute arises regarding the lawfulness of the departure, the MFA recommends contacting the nearest Ukrainian embassy or consulate.

The Ukrainian side also previously appealed to the EU to harmonize practice, since individual states began to interpret the new requirements differently.

Temporary protection for those displaced from Ukraine has been extended by the Council of the EU for another year – until 4 March 2028.