On April 11, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Law No. 10449 “On Amending Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regarding Certain Issues of Military Service, Mobilization, and Military Registration” as proposed by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. This law, in the version approved by the Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, introduces significant changes to legislation concerning mobilization procedures. President of Ukraine signed the mentioned law on April 16, 2024, and it was published on April 17, 2024, making it effective from May 18, 2024.

Since the enactment of the law, new measures affecting men residing abroad have been introduced, including:

– Inability to perform consular actions at Ukrainian diplomatic missions abroad during a state of war for male Ukrainian citizens aged 18 to 60 without updating personal data at Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (TRSSSC) within 60 days of the law’s enforcement. Exceptions include obtaining a return certificate to Ukraine, performing consular actions for children of Ukrainian citizens with one foreign parent, and actions for Ukrainian citizens under arrest, detained, or deprived of liberty abroad.

– Inability to obtain a Ukrainian citizen’s passport or a passport for travel abroad at separate units (branches, offices) of a state enterprise under the management of the State Migration Service for male Ukrainian citizens aged 18 to 60 without military registration documents. The validity of military registration documents is verified by an employee of the separate unit according to the procedure established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. These provisions prevent the provision of any consular services (except those mentioned above) at diplomatic missions abroad without specifying personal data and military registration data in TRSSSC by male Ukrainian citizens aged 18 to 60.

Obligation for men residing abroad to update/clarify personal data within 60 days of the law’s enforcement through three methods: sending a notification to the official email address of TRSSSC at the place of military registration, making a phone call to the official number of TRSSSC at the place of military registration, or using the electronic cabinet of the conscript.

Returning to Ukraine for updating/clarifying personal data is not mandatory.

Obtaining military registration documents for individuals who have not previously received them (military ID card or certificate of military service obligation) requires physical presence at TRSSSC at the place of residence in Ukraine.

Until May 18, 2024, men residing abroad would still have the opportunity to extend the validity of their passport for five years through a simplified procedure according to the current legislation of Ukraine by submitting a prescribed application to the embassy or consulate without the need to present military registration documents. Another restriction is that the application to extend the validity of the passport can be submitted no earlier than two months before the expiration date of the passport.

However, by a letter dated April 23, 2024, from the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (source: Ukrainian online publication «Mirror of the Week»), heads of foreign diplomatic missions were instructed, starting from April 24, 2024, to temporarily suspend the processing of consular actions on applications from male Ukrainian citizens aged 18 to 60 (except for the aforementioned exceptions). Therefore, without updating/clarifying personal data in the TCC and SP, men residing abroad will not be able to receive consular services from April 24, 2024.