Business Immigration to Ukraine

Updated: May 2026. Page prepared by advocate Igor Balaban

This page explains a practical way to legalise your stay in Ukraine through your own LLC, a work permit for a foreign national as the company director, and a subsequent temporary residence permit. This option is usually chosen by foreign nationals who have no grounds through marriage or family, but want to live and work in Ukraine lawfully through their own business.

Legal support fee: work permit and temporary residence permit for 1 year — USD 1,300; for 2 years — USD 1,600.

Contact us if you need to check whether this option is suitable for your situation, what documents are required and where to start.

Who this option is for

• foreign nationals who have no grounds for a temporary residence permit through marriage or family reunification;
• those who want to work lawfully in Ukraine through their own company;
• entrepreneurs who plan to run a real business in Ukraine, not just register a company on paper;
• those who need a practical way to arrange temporary residence in Ukraine through their own company and a work permit.

What to understand before you start

• this option does not end with registering an LLC: after registration, a work permit must be obtained, the company director must be changed and the documents for a temporary residence permit must be prepared;
• having a company does not automatically give the right to temporary residence: a properly issued work permit and a subsequent temporary residence permit application are required;
• to maintain this basis for residence, the company must actually operate and must not exist only on paper; accounting, tax, employment and payroll obligations arise;
• the practical timeline depends not only on state authorities, but also on the readiness of foreign documents, the visa stage, banking procedures and bank checks;

If a long-stay D visa is required for your nationality, separately check the applicable consular fee: Ukraine D visa fee.

• if your lawful stay in Ukraine is close to expiry, it is important to check first whether there is enough time to complete the main stages;
• if your spouse or children are moving to Ukraine with you, their residence documents should be planned separately: family members need a separate document package based on family reunification.

Cost

The fee includes legal support for the main stages: obtaining a Ukrainian tax number for the foreign national, LLC registration, preparation of corporate documents, a temporary nominee director for the transition period, obtaining the work permit, support with opening the company bank account, transferring the director position to the foreign national after the work permit is issued, and preparation and support for the temporary residence permit application.

The fee also includes Ukrainian state fees for the work permit and the temporary residence permit, Ukrainian notarial services, and medical insurance required for the procedure.

Paid separately: notary and apostille fees in your home country, document translations in Ukraine, and the consular fee for the D visa. The consular fee depends on nationality — see the Ukraine D visa fee page.

How the procedure works

1. We check whether this option is suitable for you. First, we assess the foreign national's citizenship, the remaining period of lawful stay in Ukraine, available documents, the need for a D visa and any possible restrictions on entry into Ukraine. If the lawful stay in Ukraine is close to expiry, we first check whether there is enough time to complete the main stages.
   
   If you are currently in Ukraine, you will need to visit our office once to sign the documents in person.
   
   If you are outside Ukraine and prefer to proceed remotely, you will need to prepare two notarised documents before we can start: a notarised power of attorney in our favour and a notarised copy of your passport. Both documents must generally be apostilled. Only citizens of a limited number of countries are exempt from this requirement — you can check the list here: countries where no legalisation is required. We provide a power of attorney template on request.
2. We obtain a Ukrainian tax identification number for the foreign national. This is required for company registration. If you already have a Ukrainian identification number, this step is skipped. Estimated time: approximately one week.
3. We register the LLC and open a bank account. At the registration stage, the company director must be a Ukrainian citizen or a foreign national with a permanent residence permit in Ukraine. If you do not have such a person available, we can provide a nominee director for the registration procedure. After registration, a bank account must be opened, as the employer's bank details are required for the work permit application. Once the work permit is obtained, the foreign national can be officially appointed as director. Estimated time for company registration: 2–3 business days after documents are ready. Opening a bank account may take additional time depending on the bank and document verification.
4. We obtain a work permit for the foreign national. The work permit is the legal basis for the subsequent temporary residence permit application as an employed foreign national. If you are abroad and the process is handled remotely, we send the documents via DHL. Delivery costs are paid separately. Estimated time for work permit processing after documents are ready: approximately 7 business days.
5. We change the company director. After the work permit is issued, we prepare the director change: resolutions, notarised documents and notification of the tax authority regarding the new company director.
6. D visa and entry into Ukraine. If your citizenship requires a D visa, we prepare the documents and explain the application procedure. The visa application is submitted by the client independently at a Ukrainian consulate or embassy. Citizens of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Belarus do not need a D visa for this procedure. Citizens of other countries must obtain a long-stay D visa and enter Ukraine on that visa — entry on any other basis does not give the right to apply for a temporary residence permit. After receiving the visa, you enter Ukraine and we proceed to the next stage. Please also check the consular fee separately: cost of a D visa to Ukraine.
7. Renting accommodation. Before filing for a temporary residence permit, the foreign national must rent an apartment or room and prepare a lease agreement. The migration service requires a confirmed address of actual residence and in most cases verifies it in person.
8. Preparing documents and filing for a temporary residence permit. After entering Ukraine, we prepare a full package of documents: a notarised translation of the passport, medical insurance, company documents, the work permit and any other documents required by your specific situation. We accompany you to the personal filing appointment at the migration service. The official processing time after filing is up to 15 business days. After the permit is issued, we explain the next steps: registration of place of residence and maintaining the basis for continued residence in Ukraine.

What legal support includes

• analysis of your situation and checking whether the LLC-based option is suitable;
• preparation of documents for obtaining the tax number and registering the company;
• legal support for LLC registration and the subsequent appointment of the foreign national as company director;
• preparation of documents for the work permit;
• checking whether a D visa is required and what documents should be prepared at that stage;
• preparation of the temporary residence permit document package and support during personal filing;
• explanation of the next steps after the temporary residence permit is issued.

Common mistakes that can disrupt the process

• starting the procedure without checking the remaining period of lawful stay in Ukraine;
• failing to check in advance whether there is an entry ban, unpaid fines, debts or other restrictions. If such issues exist, the foreign national may be refused entry into Ukraine or may face problems when applying for a temporary residence permit;
• assuming that registering an LLC is enough without subsequently obtaining a work permit and a temporary residence permit;
• preparing foreign documents without apostille or consular legalisation where it is required;
• leaving the visa or migration stage until the last moment;
• not taking into account the banking stage and bank checks;
• ignoring the ongoing accounting, employment and tax obligations after the company starts operating.

Frequently asked questions

Can the process be started while I am still outside Ukraine?
Yes. Many stages can be handled while you are still abroad. We can prepare the company registration documents, arrange the power of attorney, register the LLC and obtain the work permit before you come to Ukraine. The step that requires your personal presence in Ukraine is filing the temporary residence permit application, because biometric data is collected at the migration service at the time of filing.

Is there a faster option if I cannot handle notarial formalities abroad before coming to Ukraine?
Yes. In urgent situations we can register the company on our side without requiring a notarised passport copy, power of attorney or apostille from you abroad. You provide your passport details and the company name you want — we register the company, obtain the work permit for you as the future director and send it to you. You then obtain the D visa and come to Ukraine. After arrival, we transfer the company to you — you become the founder and director — and at the same time we prepare your tax number and support the temporary residence permit application. This option costs USD 100 more than the standard route but saves time and the cost of notarial formalities in your country.

If you are a Ukrainian citizen abroad, the power of attorney can be signed at a Ukrainian consulate. If you sign it before a local notary in your country, the document will usually need an apostille and a Ukrainian translation.

What exactly is included in the legal support fee?
The fee covers the main stages of the procedure: obtaining a Ukrainian tax number for the foreign national, LLC registration, preparation of corporate documents, a temporary nominee director for the transition period, obtaining the work permit, support with opening the company bank account, transferring the director position to you after the work permit is issued, and preparation and support for the temporary residence permit application.

The fee also includes Ukrainian state fees for the work permit and the temporary residence permit, Ukrainian notarial services, and medical insurance required for the procedure.

Paid separately: notary and apostille fees in your home country, document translations in Ukraine, and the consular fee for the D visa. The consular fee depends on your nationality — see the Ukraine D visa fee page.

Is registering an LLC enough to get a temporary residence permit?
No. In the procedure described on this page, company registration is only the first stage. A work permit must then be obtained, followed by the temporary residence permit procedure.

Can a foreign national be the director of the company immediately?
No. At the time of registration, the company director must be a Ukrainian citizen or a foreign national with a permanent residence permit in Ukraine. If you do not have a person who can act as the first director, a nominee director may be used for the registration procedure. After the work permit is obtained, the foreign national can be officially appointed as the company director.

Is a D visa required?
Citizens of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Belarus do not need a D visa for this procedure. Citizens of other countries usually need to obtain a long-stay D visa at a Ukrainian consular office abroad before filing documents for a temporary residence permit. Before starting the procedure, the current entry rules for foreign nationals should be checked separately.

Can my spouse and children also obtain temporary residence permits?
In many cases, family members can apply for temporary residence on the basis of family reunification. This is a separate document package and should be planned from the beginning rather than after your own procedure is completed.

How long does the whole process take?
As a general guide: obtaining a tax number takes about one week, registering the LLC takes 2–3 working days, and obtaining the work permit takes about one week. After entry into Ukraine and filing the temporary residence permit application, the official processing time is up to 15 working days. The overall timeline depends on document readiness, whether a D visa is required and the foreign national's specific situation.

Does the company need to actually operate after the permit is issued?
Yes. After the work permit and temporary residence permit are issued, the company must not exist only on paper. It must fulfil its obligations as an employer: accrue and pay salary to the foreign director, withhold and pay the required taxes, and file reports. If this is not done, the employment centre may cancel the work permit, and the migration service may then cancel the temporary residence permit.

What happens when the temporary residence permit expires?
If, during the validity period of the temporary residence permit, the foreign national worked as the company director, received salary, taxes were paid on time and the required reports were filed, the procedure does not need to be started from the beginning. In that case, the work permit should be extended first, and then the temporary residence permit should be extended. Preparation should start in advance so that filing deadlines are not missed.

Related pages

• Temporary residence permit in Ukraine
• Work permit for foreign nationals
• LLC registration in Ukraine
• List of countries requiring apostille
• List of countries not requiring consular legalisation
• Entry rules for foreign nationals

Contact us if you need to assess whether the LLC-based option is suitable for you, what documents need to be prepared and what the correct order of steps will be in your situation.