Travel abroad now allowed for Ukrainian men under 22: What’s changing

According to Svyrydenko, the government has updated the procedure for crossing the state border.

"Men aged 18 to 22 will be able to cross the border without restrictions during martial law. This applies to all citizens of the corresponding age," the Prime Minister added.

The head of the government clarified that this decision also concerns citizens who are currently abroad.

"We want Ukrainians to maintain their connections with Ukraine as much as possible. The changes will take effect the day after the official publication of the resolution," she added.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated that the purpose of this step is primarily to provide young Ukrainians with broader opportunities for education, internships, and legal employment abroad, so that the experience they gain can later be used for the development of Ukraine.

What led to the changes

On August 12, 2025, during a meeting with participants of the Ukrainian Youth Forum, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had instructed the government, together with the military command, to work on simplifying border crossing for Ukrainians aged 18 to 22.

According to the head of state, this "will help many young Ukrainians maintain their connections with Ukraine and realize their potential in the country — primarily in education."

Later, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko spoke about the work on this initiative. She stated that the decision would be made at the Cabinet level and would not require legislative changes.

Recently, draft law No. 13685 was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament - ed.), which includes provisions allowing men under the age of 24 to travel abroad. The document proposes keeping restrictions for those who turn 25 this year or the next.

One of the bill’s initiators, Servant of the People MP Fedir Venislavskyi, told RBC-Ukraine that the draft specifically concerns the initiative previously announced by Zelenskyy.

He explained that under the law on mobilization, men under 25 are not subject to conscription. As a result, a conflict arose: those who left the country before turning 18 cannot return to Ukraine because they would lose the right to leave again, while others cannot travel abroad even for education. To remove these restrictions, it was proposed to allow free travel for men in this age group.

Additionally, as early as July 2025, the Verkhovna Rada discussed the possibility of allowing men aged 18 to 22 to travel abroad.

At that time, Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk noted that citizens in this age group are not subject to mobilization but are still restricted in exercising some of their rights. Therefore, according to him, it was necessary to develop a mechanism that would provide them with this opportunity.

Travel abroad for men

On February 24, 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, martial law was imposed and a general mobilization was announced.

Under this legal regime, most men aged 18 to 60 were prohibited from traveling abroad. However, there are exceptions.

Categories allowed to travel abroad:

• Individuals under 18 and over 60 – without restrictions;

• People with disabilities and their companions – with proper documentation;

• Parents or guardians of children with disabilities – with confirmation;

• Those caring for sick relatives or working in residential care facilities – with relevant acts and orders;

• Conscription-age men with a deferral or deemed unfit for health reasons – with the corresponding decision from the Territorial Recruitment Center (TTsK);

• Workers in critical sectors (transport, media, culture, etc.) – with approval from the Interdepartmental Commission on Coordination of Mobilization Issues (MKSK);

• Sailors, cadets, and trainee students – under contracts or official letters from shipowners.

In other words, to travel abroad, one must have a passport, military registration documents, and official certificates or letters from government authorities or employers, depending on the grounds for travel.

It is worth noting that since February 27, 2025, drivers of humanitarian and medical cargoes no longer benefit from simplified travel through the Shliakh system — they must follow general rules.

Artists and media representatives temporarily do not receive "letters of facilitation" from the Ministry of Culture, but may travel abroad if they can confirm their purpose and provide a full set of documents.

Meanwhile, family members of fallen soldiers and Heroes of Ukraine have been granted the right to travel abroad.