Ukrainians can check for themselves whether any temporary restrictions on travelling abroad have been imposed on them. To this end, the State Border Guard Service has launched a «Personal Account» service, through which information is provided online without the need for written requests or long waiting times. The service helps to identify in advance any restrictions imposed on the basis of court rulings or enforcement service orders. However, a positive result from the check does not guarantee that you will be allowed to cross the border: border guards make the final decision directly at the border crossing point after checking your documents and other grounds provided for by law.
Briefly about the main points
- You can check whether you are subject to a travel ban via your personal account on the State Border Guard Service website.
- You can log in using BankID, Diya.Sign or a qualified electronic signature.
- The service displays any restrictions imposed by a court or the enforcement service.
- The rules governing men’s travel during martial law are not displayed in the office.
- Payment of the debt does not always mean that the ban in the State Border Guard Service database is lifted immediately.
How to check online whether you are banned from travelling abroad
The check is available via the official State Border Guard Service personal account. The service is available 24 hours a day, and you can access it from a smartphone, tablet or computer.
To check this, you need to:
- Go to the State Border Guard Service’s personal account page.
- Confirm your consent to the processing of your personal data.
- Click the ‘Log in via the system’ button
id.gov.ua. - Verify your identity using BankID, Diya.Sign or a qualified electronic signature.
- Run a check for any temporary restrictions.
The system automatically checks the user’s details against the State Border Guard Service’s databases. Once the check is complete, one of the following statuses will appear in the user’s account: ‘no restrictions’ or ‘temporary exit restriction in place’.
Previously, in order to obtain such information, members of the public had to submit a written request to the Main Centre for the Processing of Special Information of the State Border Guard Service and wait for an official reply. The new service allows users to receive a response much more quickly.
What restrictions are shown in the State Border Guard Service’s personal account?
The online check relates to restrictions that have already been officially imposed on the basis of a court judgement or an order issued by a public or private enforcement officer.
Among the possible reasons:
- failure to comply with a court order;
- significant arrears in child maintenance payments;
- outstanding obligations in enforcement proceedings;
- outstanding fines or other debts for which restrictions have been imposed;
- other measures provided for by law concerning a temporary ban on leaving the country.
It is important to understand that the mere fact of having a loan, a fine or any other debt does not always automatically mean that you are barred from crossing the border. The information appears in the State Border Guard Service’s database once the relevant decision has been adopted and forwarded.
The grounds for temporarily restricting a Ukrainian citizen’s right to leave the country are set out, in particular, in, Article 6 of the relevant Act.
What the online check doesn’t show
The State Border Guard Service’s online portal does not specify whether a particular individual is entitled to leave Ukraine during martial law.
In particular, the service does not display restrictions relating to rules governing men’s travel abroad aged between 18 and 60. The fact that the status «No restrictions» appears in the account does not automatically grant a person liable for military service permission to cross the border.
The right to leave the country in such a situation is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Border guards take into account military registration documents, the reason for departure, information in state registers and the current regulations in force at the time of travel.
The service also does not check:
- the validity period of the foreign passport;
- entry requirements for another country;
- that you have the necessary documents to travel with your child;
- requirements regarding military registration;
- visas, insurance and other entry requirements;
- There may be technical discrepancies between the documents and the official registers.
What does the «No restrictions» status mean?»
This result indicates that, at the time of the check, no court-imposed or enforcement-related travel ban was found in the relevant State Border Guard Service database.
However, this status does not constitute official authorisation to cross the border. Before travelling, you must check your documents, the rules governing martial law and the requirements of your destination country separately.
It is advisable to repeat the check immediately before departure, particularly if enforcement proceedings have been initiated against the person or legal proceedings are ongoing.
What to do if a temporary restriction is detected
First of all, you need to find out which authority imposed the ban and on what grounds. This may be a court judgement or an enforcement order issued by an enforcement officer as part of specific enforcement proceedings.
The next steps depend on the cause:
- Contact the state or private enforcement agent handling the case.
- To obtain information on the amount of the debt and the grounds for imposing the restriction.
- Fulfil the obligation or appeal against the decision if it is incorrect.
- To secure the issuance of an order or a court judgement lifting the restriction.
- Ensure that the information regarding the cancellation has been forwarded to the State Border Guard Service.
- Please check the status again in your personal account.
Simply paying off the debt may not be enough to have the ban removed from the database immediately. The decision to lift the ban must be properly formalised and the information updated in the government systems. You should therefore not settle the debt immediately before your journey and expect the restriction to be lifted straight away.
Could they refuse to let me leave because of a loan or a fine?
The mere fact of having a bank loan, outstanding utility bills or an unpaid fine does not in itself always result in a travel ban. A legally prescribed procedure is required for such a restriction to be imposed.
A risk arises if the debt has become the subject of legal or enforcement proceedings, the debtor is evading compliance with the judgement, and the competent authority has imposed a temporary restriction.
Specific rules apply to arrears in child maintenance payments. The State Tax Service of Ukraine cites such cases as one of the most common reasons for imposing restrictions.
When is the best time to carry out an inspection?
It is worth checking the information whilst you are still planning your trip — before purchasing tickets, booking accommodation and paying for other expenses.
It’s best to do this a few times:
- before booking your trip;
- following the settlement of debts or enforcement proceedings;
- a few days before departure;
- again on the day of the trip.
If you have any doubts about the outcome, you can contact the State Tax Service helpline on 1598 or seek legal advice regarding a specific decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the check on travel restrictions free of charge?
Yes. Access to the State Tax Service of Ukraine’s personal account and checking whether there are any temporary restrictions are free of charge.
Is it possible to test another person?
No. You need to complete an electronic verification process to log in, so users only receive information relating to themselves.
Will the service show the reason for the ban?
The main purpose of the service is to provide information on whether or not a restriction is in place. Details of a specific decision must be obtained from the court or the enforcement officer handling the case.
Does the «No restrictions» status guarantee that the man will be allowed to leave?
No. Restrictions relating to martial law and the rules governing the travel of those liable for military service are not displayed in this office.
When will the ban be lifted once the debt has been paid?
There is no fixed timeframe. First, the enforcement officer or the court must formalise the lifting of the restriction, after which the details must be forwarded to the State Tax Service of Ukraine and updated in the system.
An online check allows you to identify any issues in advance, but it does not replace the document checks carried out at the border. If a restriction is shown in your account, it is best to first obtain confirmation that it has been officially lifted before planning your trip.
