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News: document photo requirements by country

What changed in passport, visa and residence photo rules — every update dated and sourced.

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January 2026

9 articles
NewsVisa

Digital Schengen Visa: The EU Launches the EU VAP Platform — What Will Change for Applicants

The EU is creating a single online platform, the EU Visa Application Platform (EU VAP), for submitting Schengen visa applications. The paper visa sticker will be replaced by a digital visa in the form of a cryptographically signed 2D barcode. In-person attendance at the consulate will remain mandatory only for those applying for the first time, those who have obtained a new passport, or those whose biometric data has expired. The rules have already been adopted (Regulation (EU) 2023/2667), the platform is being developed by the eu-LISA agency, and the exact launch date will be set by a separate Commission decision; the transition period for Member States is 7 years from the date the platform begins operating.

5 min readEUR-Lex — Регламент (ЄС) 2023/2667 про цифровізацію візової процедури
NewsMoldova

Moldova extends temporary protection for Ukrainians until 1 March 2027

By a decision of 28 January 2026, the government of Moldova extended temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine until 1 March 2027, aligning the term with the EU decision. The main change: status extension no longer happens automatically — each beneficiary had to submit a free online application on the protectietemporara.gov.md platform between 1 February and 30 April 2026. Missing the deadline leads to automatic termination of the status, but a new application for temporary protection can still be submitted afterwards.

4 min readУряд Республіки Молдова (gov.md)
News

Free EU roaming and access to a bank account for Ukrainians under temporary protection: what applies in 2026

From 1 January 2026 Ukraine officially joined the "Roam Like at Home" zone: Ukrainians with a Ukrainian number use calls, SMS and mobile internet in all 27 EU countries at no extra charge, as at home. In parallel, temporary protection has been extended until 4 March 2027, and the right to open a basic bank account is guaranteed by an EU directive to everyone legally residing in the Union.

4 min readЄвропейська комісія (Shaping Europe's digital future) — Roaming now fully operational in Ukraine
NewsUkraine

Ukrainian Pension Abroad in 2026: How to Complete Physical Identification via Diia and Not Lose Payments

Ukrainians who receive a pension or insurance payments and stay abroad for more than 183 days a year must undergo physical identification every year by 31 December. Without it, the Pension Fund stops payments from 1 January. The procedure can be completed online via Diia.Signature, in a video conference with a PFU employee, at an authorized bank, or through a consulate.

6 min readПенсійний фонд України — Фізична ідентифікація пенсіонерів за кордоном: алгоритм дій
NewsUkraine

Biometric passport at a consulate 2026: how the photo works and when you must bring one

When applying for a Ukrainian biometric passport at a consulate, an adult and a child aged 12 or older are photographed on site by a staff member — you do not need to bring a separate photo print. Your own 10×15 cm photo is required only for children under 12 who are absent during submission, and for persons who cannot move. We explain how this works in 2026 and the requirements a "spare" photo must meet.

4 min readDiia online guide — Ukrainian passport for travel abroad

December 2025

2 articles
GuideUkraine

ID card abroad in 2026: where to obtain a Ukrainian citizen's passport and what photo you need

A domestic Ukrainian citizen's passport in the form of an ID card is issued abroad only at overseas branches of SE "Document", not at a consulate or embassy. From the age of 14 you can obtain your first ID card abroad; since 25 December 2025, simultaneous issuance of an ID card and an international passport applies under a single queue and a single administrative fee. The biometric photo is taken on site at the centre — you do not need to bring printed photographs.

5 min readДМС України — Порядок одночасного оформлення ID-картки та закордонного паспорта (з 25.12.2025)
NewsUkraine

Military registration for men abroad and consular services: what you need to know

Male citizens of Ukraine aged 18–60 who are abroad must submit an electronic military registration document (e-MRD) for most consular services, and at the end of 2025 the state introduced automatic registration from the age of 18 (CMU Resolution No. 1632 of 05.12.2025).

5 min readМіністерство закордонних справ України — поширені питання щодо консульських послуг

November 2025

1 article

October 2025

5 articles
NewsPassportUkraine

Online consulate "e-Consul" and Diia in 2026: how Ukrainians abroad can get a passport and documents — and where a photo is needed

Ukrainians abroad can start more and more consular actions online — via the "e-Consul" system and the Diia app, yet biometrics and the photo for a passport are still taken at the consulate.

6 min read35 × 45 mmМіністерство закордонних справ України — система «е-Консул»
NewsGermany

Germany: how to switch from §24 to a work, study or skilled-worker permit (Spurwechsel)

Ukrainians in Germany can change a permit under §24 AufenthG (temporary protection) to a work, study or skilled-worker permit without leaving the country: §39 sentence 1 no. 1 AufenthV allows the switch (Spurwechsel) to be processed inside the country without a visa procedure abroad. §24 itself has been automatically extended until 4 March 2027 for permits valid as of 1 February 2026, so changing status immediately is not mandatory. Important: for some permits (§18a, §18b, §16a, §19c) the new permit can be obtained in parallel with §24, with §24 acting as a «safety net»; whereas for permits blocked by §19f AufenthG (§16b, §18g Blue Card and others), §24 must end first — and then a return to temporary protection is no longer possible.

5 min readUkraineAufenthFGV — офіційний текст закону (gesetze-im-internet.de)
NewsDenmark

Denmark extends the special act for Ukrainians until 17 March 2027

Denmark is extending residence permits under the 'Ukraine Special Act' until 17 March 2027, and does so automatically — you do not need to submit an application yourself.

4 min readNew to Denmark (Udlændingestyrelsen) — Extension of residence permit under the Ukraine-Special Act

September 2025

2 articles
News

What Will Happen to Ukrainians' Status in the EU After Temporary Protection: The EU Council Adopts a Recommendation on the Transition

On 16 September 2025, the EU Council adopted Recommendation (2025/5129) on a coordinated transition of Ukrainians out of temporary protection status. Temporary protection itself has been extended until 4 March 2027. The Recommendation advises Member States to give people the opportunity to switch in advance to national residence permits (work, study, family) or to statuses under EU directives (Blue Card, single permit, students/researchers). Important: contrary to the discussions, the final document did NOT introduce automatic access to "EU long-term resident" status and did NOT provide for counting the years of temporary protection towards the 5-year period.

6 min readEUR-Lex — Council Recommendation (EU) 2025/5129 of 16 September 2025
GuideResidenceEUCzech Republic

Does time under temporary protection in the EU count towards permanent residence? 2026 rules and what to do now

Under the current EU Directive 2003/109/EC, years under temporary protection are NOT automatically counted towards the 5 years required for EU long-term resident status. Temporary protection has been extended until 4 March 2027. To preserve the path to permanent residence, you should switch in good time to a national permit (work, study, family) or an EU status — some countries already count previous years.

6 min readEUR-Lex — Council Directive 2003/109/EC concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents

July 2025

4 articles
NewsLithuaniaLatviaEstonia

Temporary protection in the Baltic states extended to 4 March 2027: what differs in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have extended temporary protection for Ukrainians until 4 March 2027 following the Council of the EU decision, but the renewal rules and language requirements in the three countries differ substantially.

5 min readРада ЄС (Consilium) — пресреліз про продовження тимчасового захисту
News

Visa-free travel for Ukrainians in 2026: how the 90/180 rule works and why temporary protection does not "burn" your days

Ukrainian citizens with a biometric passport may stay in Schengen for up to 90 days within any 180 without a visa. Time spent under temporary protection or a national residence permit is NOT counted toward this limit. In 2026 EES and ETIAS are being added, but the 90/180 rule itself does not change.

6 min readEuropean Commission — Short-stay calculator (правило 90/180)

June 2025

2 articles
NewsHungary

Temporary protection in Hungary in 2026: status extended to March 2027, but housing — only for 'war' oblasts

Temporary protection for Ukrainians in Hungary is valid until 4 March 2027 for all categories regardless of oblast of origin. Separately, from 21 August 2024, government decree 134/2024 narrowed access to state housing: free accommodation is retained only for those who come from oblasts that Hungary considers directly affected by the war. The western oblasts, in particular Zakarpattia, are not included in this list.

5 min readCouncil of the EU — EU member states agree to extend temporary protection for refugees from Ukraine (13 June 2025)

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