Men 18-22 must show military registration to leave Ukraine – State Border Service
After the government-approved amendments to the Rules for Crossing the State Border by Citizens of Ukraine come into force, men aged 18 to 22 will need to have a military registration document (in paper or electronic form) in addition to a foreign passport to travel abroad.
This was reported by the spokesman for the State Border Service of Ukraine, Colonel Andriy Demchenko, in a comment to the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
He noted that the government has approved amendments to the Rules for Crossing the State Border by Citizens of Ukraine. The relevant resolution was prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
"According to the information currently available, from the moment the adopted amendments come into force, male citizens of Ukraine aged 18 to 22 inclusive will have the right to cross the state border of Ukraine in the event of martial law being introduced on the territory of Ukraine," the spokesman added.
At the same time, he drew attention to the fact that the relevant norm will not apply to persons specified in paragraphs 2-14 of the said Rules, that is, to persons holding certain positions in state authorities, state bodies and local self-government bodies. Travel abroad by this category of persons can still be carried out only on a business trip.
"Regarding the possibility of crossing the border by men aged 18 to 22 inclusive, we also emphasize that in order to cross the border, it is necessary to have both a passport document that gives the right to cross the border and a military registration document (military registration document in electronic form), which must be presented upon request by a representative of the State Border Guard Service at checkpoints across the state border of Ukraine," the Service said.
Demchenko emphasized that border guards will begin to provide passage for this category of citizens, in respect of whom the changes have been adopted, after the publication of these changes and their entry into force.
On August 26, the country's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has updated the procedure for crossing the state border: men aged 18 to 22 will be able to cross the border unhindered during martial law. As reported by the representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada, Taras Melnychuk, in the Telegram channel, it is stipulated that the relevant norm will not apply to persons specified in paragraphs 2-11 of the said Rules, namely: members of the Cabinet of Ministers, first deputies and deputy ministers, heads of central executive bodies, their first deputies and deputies, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and his deputies, heads of other auxiliary bodies and services established by the president and their deputies, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), his first deputy and deputies, the head and members of the National Council of Ukraine for Television and Radio Broadcasting, the head and members of the Accounting Chamber, the head and members of the Central Election Commission, heads and members of other state collegiate bodies, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, his first deputies and deputies, people's deputies of Ukraine, etc.
As reported, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the government, together with the military command, to work on simplifying the crossing of the state border for young Ukrainians, in particular, to raise the age limit from 18 to 22.
On Tuesday, after a meeting with Svyrydenko, Zelenskyy said: "Today, at a government meeting, the rules for crossing the state border for men aged 18 to 22 will be updated. All details have been agreed with the military command, and the relevant opportunities should be operational in the near future."
In addition, a group of Members of Parliament proposed to the Verkhovna Rada to allow men who are not subject to mobilization due to age (up to 24 years) to travel abroad during the war.
The relevant draft law No. 13685 on amendments to the law on the procedure for exiting and entering Ukraine for citizens regarding the temporary restriction of the right to leave Ukraine for conscripts and those liable for military service for the period of martial law or a state of emergency has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada. The draft law proposes to maintain the current restriction on leaving Ukraine for male citizens who turn 25 in the current or next year.
