Ukraine has introduced a new regulation restricting military-age men (18-60 years old) from applying for passports outside of Ukraine.
The Foreign Ministry announced the provisions, which include suspending consular services for men in this age group until May 18.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba criticized Ukrainian men living abroad for not serving in the military, stating that it is inconsistent for them to receive state services while avoiding their duties.
“Staying abroad does not relieve a citizen of his or her duties to the homeland,” he wrote on X.
The ministry also announced that men aged 18-60 must obtain a special certificate from Ukrainian embassies or consulates to return to Ukraine, and only government missions will handle passport applications.
Additionally, men in this age group will need to show registration paperwork to renew their passports at Ukrainian consulates.
This move aims to increase troop numbers through mobilization, with an estimated 86,000 Ukrainian military-age men living in the EU and hundreds of thousands more abroad, as Ukraine faces a shortage of troops in the fight against the Russian invasion.
