The most relevant legal topic today is the travel abroad of Ukrainian citizens in 2025. This topic is constantly being discussed, because the war is ongoing, the rules are changing, and for many it remains unclear who has the right to leave the territory of Ukraine and under what conditions.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the rules for travel have been severely restricted, especially for men of draft age. This has raised many questions and even indignation. But along with general restrictions, there are also grounds that allow legal travel abroad, and today we will analyze these grounds in detail, explain how to properly draw up documents and what difficulties may arise in practice.

Who can travel abroad in 2025?
Today, the rules for travel are regulated by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 57, which determines who can cross the border without restrictions, and who needs a special reason. Citizens can be conditionally divided into three groups: those who can leave without additional permits, men liable for military service who need legal grounds for departure, and special categories of persons who can leave the country with certain conditions.

The first category is women, children, the elderly, and persons who have been removed from military service due to health reasons. Women can leave without restrictions, with the exception of conscripted medical workers who are subject to mobilization. Men under 18 and over 60 can also cross the border without hindrance, as they are not subject to mobilization. It is worth mentioning people with disabilities separately - if you have a certificate of disability of group I, II, or III, you also have the right to leave without additional permits.

The second category is men liable for military service between the ages of 18 and 60, who can leave only under the conditions specified by law. Here you should be careful, because even the presence of a legal basis does not always guarantee a problem-free departure. One of the key reasons is the state of health, if a person has an official conclusion from the military medical commission about unfitness for service. But it is important to understand that simply having a doctor's certificate or an entry in a medical card is not a reason for departure. It is necessary to obtain an official decision of the Military Medical Commission confirming exclusion from military registration.

Can students travel abroad?

According to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, students also have the right to cross the border. Persons aged 18 to 22 who are not subject to military conscription and are studying full-time at foreign universities can travel abroad for 1 academic semester.

What documents do students need to cross the border?

To cross the border, students need to prepare the following documents:

A certificate from a Ukrainian university on referral to participate in academic mobility programs in foreign educational institutions with the specified terms of the academic semester and grounds for cooperation.
Absence of retakes of exams and negative grades during the last academic year.
Certificate to confirm a sufficient level of proficiency in the relevant language for studying at a foreign university.
Copy of the academic mobility agreement.
Electronic student ID on the Diya portal.
Another reason for leaving is family circumstances. According to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers, a man may cross the border due to family circumstances in the following cases:

Presence of a disabled wife, traveling abroad to accompany her outside of Ukraine. Documents and their notarized copies must be provided to confirm family ties and disability.
Having one of your parents or spouse's parents with a disability of group I or II, traveling abroad to accompany them outside Ukraine. Documents confirming the diagnosis, guardianship, cohabitation, as well as relevant care certificates must be provided.
Providing permanent care for persons with disabilities of group I or II, traveling abroad to accompany them outside Ukraine. It is necessary to provide a certificate or certificate of receiving compensation for care, documents confirming disability and an act establishing the fact of providing care.
Parents, guardians, custodians, adoptive parents, foster parents raising a child with a disability under the age of 18. It is necessary to provide a birth certificate of the child or documents confirming the relevant powers of the person.
Parents who are dependent on an adult child who is a person with a disability of group I or II. It is necessary to provide a birth certificate, documents confirming disability and their notarized copies.
Persons requiring constant care - accompanied by a family member of the first degree of kinship. Documents must be provided to confirm family ties, as well as a conclusion from a medical advisory commission on the need for constant external care.
Guardians of persons with disabilities recognized by a court as incompetent, who accompany such persons to travel outside Ukraine.

Special categories of persons who can travel
In addition to general grounds, there are also special categories

persons who may leave Ukraine to perform certain professional duties. For example, international transport drivers working at enterprises with a license for international transport have the right to leave to perform their professional duties. Sailors and air transport workers can also cross the border if they have the appropriate contracts.

It is worth mentioning volunteers and persons who leave to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This applies to drivers who transport humanitarian aid or military equipment, as well as cultural figures who participate in international charity events in support of Ukraine. To leave, such persons must have official invitations, contracts or approvals from state authorities.

Another category is athletes and coaches who go to international competitions or training camps. They can leave the country provided they have supporting documents from the relevant ministry.

Possible difficulties when crossing the border
Even if you have all the documents, this does not guarantee a problem-free border crossing. Situations often arise when a person formally has the right to leave, but is refused due to inaccuracies in the documents or misinterpretation of the norms by border guards. The most common problems are the absence of all the necessary marks in military registration documents, incorrectly executed certificates or the absence of original documents.

Therefore, if you are planning to leave, it is very important to carefully prepare all documents, check them for compliance with legislative norms and, if necessary, seek legal advice from a military lawyer.

The issue of traveling abroad during wartime remains complex and controversial. On the one hand, the state must protect its defense resources, and on the other hand, ensure the rights of citizens who have legal grounds for leaving. If you are planning to leave, do not leave this issue to the last minute. Make sure you have all the necessary documents, and if in doubt, seek advice from Olson.