Information about travelling to and from Ukraine

You can find frequently asked questions about travelling from Ukraine to the Netherlands on the Netherlands worldwide website. It is not safe to travel to Ukraine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs can be reached day and night on +31 247 247 247.

Extending short stay visa and visa-exempt term

Are you Ukrainian and in the Netherlands for a short stay of up to 90 days? You can extend your short-stay visa or visa-exempt term if you want to stay longer in the Netherlands. You can extend for a maximum of 90 days, up to a total of 180 days. This is also possible if your visa or visa-exempt term has already expired. How you can extend your short-stay visa or visa-exempt term will become clear as soon as possible. You can read this on this page.

Has your visa-exempt term or visa already expired? This does not have adverse effects.

Collecting mvv at the embassy in another country

Are you outside the Netherlands and have you received a positive decision on your mvv application? The Dutch embassy in Kiev is closed. You cannot collect your mvv there. You may be able to collect the mvv at a Dutch embassy or consulate in another country. Please call your contact person at the IND if you want to change the embassy. You can find the phone number in the letter from the IND stating that you will receive an mvv.

Exemption from collecting mvv for Ukrainians in the Netherlands

Have you applied for a provisional residence permit (mvv) in Ukraine? Or has you sponsor applied for you in the Netherlands? You temporarily do not need to collect this mvv from the Dutch embassy, if you meet the following conditions:

• You have received a positive decision on your mvv application.
• You are in the Netherlands on a short-stay visa or in your visa-exempt term.

You will soon be able to collect your residence permit at an IND desk. What you have to do for this will become clear as soon as possible. You can read this on this page.

Applying for a residence permit without mvv

Are you Ukrainian and do you want to apply for a first residence permit in the Netherlands? This may be possible temporarily without a provisional residence permit (mvv). This means you do not need to have traveled to the Netherlands with an mvv. You must however meet the following conditions:

Remaining in the Netherlands after residence permit has expired

Are you Ukrainian, do you have a Dutch residence permit and will it expire soon? Apply for an extension of your residence document if this is possible. Is extension not possible? The Dutch government understands you cannot return due to the situation in Ukraine. This will also have no consequences if you apply for a visa or residence permit in the future.

Staying abroad with a Dutch residence permit

There are rules for how long you can stay abroad with your residence permit. Are you unable to return to the Netherlands in time due to the situation in Ukraine? Then the IND will currently be flexible with these rules. We understand that you may be abroad for longer than allowed due to this situation.

Assessment application for residence permit

Have you applied for a residence permit or extension? The IND takes the situation in Ukraine and your personal situation into account when assessing your application. This also applies if you are currently unable to send documents about your identity or marriage due to the situation.

Asylum applications Ukrainians

​From 28 February 2022, the IND does not have to take a decision on Ukrainian asylum applications for 6 months. This is called a decision moratorium. Also, the Repatriation and Departure Service will not force Ukrainians to depart if their application was previously rejected by the IND. This is called a departure moratorium. Ukraine will also not be considered a safe country of origin for 6 months. This is because of the uncertain situation in Ukraine.

Consequences of the decision and departure moratoria

Due to the developments in Ukraine, the IND will temporarily not decide on asylum applications from Ukrainians. As a result of the decision moratorium, the IND is extending the decision period for pending and new asylum applications by 1 year. The IND is currently examining whether it is still possible to continue interviews. And whether the IND can still take a positive decision in some cases. For example, if you have already had a detailed interview in which it became clear that you have a right to protection.

Ukrainian asylum seekers whose application has been processed

Are you Ukrainian, have you been through the entire asylum process and received a negative decision (exhausted all legal means)? Then you are not obliged to return to Ukraine during the departure moratorium.

When the decision and departure moratoria do not apply

Not all Ukrainian asylum seekers (who have exhausted all legal means) fall under by the moratoria. The moratoria do not apply in the following situations:

• Another EU member state is responsible for their asylum application (Dublin). For example, because they have already applied for asylum in that member state. Alternatively, because they have a visa issued by that member state.
• The person concerned already has protection in another EU member state, has been recognised as a refugee in another country or already has a residence permit somewhere else.
• The IND stops considering the application because, for example, you did not go to your interview. Or because you left with an unknown destination. This means that the IND does not look at the contents of the case. In this case, the asylum seeker does come under the departure moratorium and does not have to leave the Netherlands for now.
• The IND has rejected the application on the grounds that the person concerned committed war crimes. Or because they are a danger to the public order or national security.