Consular services for men are resumed, but under new rules

The technical pause in accepting new applications for consular services from a certain category of Ukrainian citizens is coming to an end.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has already instructed foreign diplomatic missions to resume accepting applications for consular services for men of military age, which was suspended on April 23, in accordance with the current legislation, starting May 18.

During the several weeks of the technical pause, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs promptly updated regulations and made changes to the algorithms of information and communication systems, which made it possible to bring consular activities in line with the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Certain Issues of Military Service, Mobilization and Military Registration."

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and other authorities have taken special efforts to create mechanisms for updating military records and synchronizing them with the consular services of the MFA.

As the technical pause has ended and applications from all categories of citizens have resumed, the MFA is providing detailed explanations on the new procedure for obtaining consular services in accordance with the current legislation. We have prepared answers to the most frequently asked questions.

1. How will consular services be provided to men of military age?

Starting from May 18, men aged 18-60 who are/reside abroad have the opportunity to apply for consular services.

According to the new legislation, along with the documents required to obtain the chosen consular service, such applicants must also submit their military registration document in paper (VOD) or electronic form (e-VOD).

It should be noted that a paper document can be submitted only before the launch of the electronic office of the conscript, where everyone will be able to create an electronic document on their own.

2. What is a paper military registration document (MRD)?

A paper military registration document is a certificate of registration with a military enlistment office (issued to conscripts) or a military ID card or a temporary certificate of a person liable for military service (issued to persons liable for military service).

Thus, conscripts need to have a certificate of registration with a military enlistment office, and persons liable for military service and servicemen need to have a military ID or a temporary ID.

Paper military registration documents will be valid only until the launch of the electronic conscript's office. After its launch, electronic military registration documents will be valid, which each applicant will be able to create online in the electronic cabinet.

3. What is an electronic military registration document (e-MRD)?

This is an electronic document that is displayed in an application on a user's smartphone and contains verified data from the Unified State Register of Conscripts, Persons Liable for Military Service and Reservists.

Starting from June 18, it will be possible to generate it independently after updating your own data in the recruit's electronic cabinet.

In order to receive a consular service, an electronic military registration document must be reliable and up-to-date, i.e., generated no earlier than 3 days before applying to a consular office. If the document is older than 3 days, it must be re-created in the conscript's electronic office before applying.

By scanning the code from the applicant's smartphone, the consul will be able to receive real-time confirmation of the applicant's military registration data and the possibility of receiving consular services.

4. What should I do if the conscript's electronic account has not yet been launched, but I do not have a paper document?

A citizen of Ukraine may use a temporary alternative option: to register for a temporary consular registration or update his/her consular registration data, and then apply for a consular service without having an electronic or paper military registration document.

In this case, there is no need to make a separate entry in the electronic queue for submitting documents for temporary consular registration or updating consular registration data (such documents are submitted as part of the entry in the electronic queue for the relevant consular service together with the package of documents required to obtain it).

The list of documents required for temporary consular registration or updating the data for staying on it is contained in the relevant section on the website of the foreign diplomatic mission that provides this service for residents of its consular district.

If a citizen has a residence permit in a foreign country, he or she must also attach a copy of such a permit to the documents for registration.

It is important to clarify that, in general, this procedure is temporary and will be valid only until the moment when the conscript's electronic office will be able to independently create an electronic military registration document. From that moment on, registration or updating of consular registration data will no longer replace the requirement to provide an electronic military registration document.

5. When is it possible not to submit a paper or electronic military registration document to receive consular services?

A paper or electronic military registration document may not be submitted for consular services in three cases.

First, when it comes to obtaining an identity card for returning to Ukraine (the so-called "white passport").

Second, when a consular action is performed in the interests of a child whose other parent is a foreigner or stateless person.

Thirdly, if an arrested or imprisoned applicant applies for consular services.

6.What should I do if I do not have not only a paper military registration document, but also a foreign passport?

A foreign passport is required for temporary consular registration. In this case, the citizen must wait until June 18, when, according to the Ministry of Defense, it will be possible to create an electronic military registration document in the conscript's electronic office. After creating such a document, a citizen will be able to apply to a consular office for a foreign passport.

For citizens who do not have a foreign passport, the possibility of obtaining an identity card for returning to Ukraine (the so-called "white passport") remains available.

7. What is the electronic cabinet of conscripts, persons liable for military service and reservists and when will it be launched?

The electronic cabinet of conscripts, persons liable for military service and reservists is one of the methods of updating military registration data. According to the Ministry of Defense, the e-cabinet will be implemented in the format of the mobile application "Reserve+", which can be downloaded only from the official App Store and Google Play.

The application for persons liable for military service will be available on May 18 so that everyone can fulfill their duty and update their contact information. Detailed instructions on how to use the mobile application are already published on the resources of the Ministry of Defense: Facebook and Telegram.

The mobile application for persons liable for military service will allow them to specify their mobile phone number, place of actual residence and email address, as required by law. More detailed explanations can be found in the Ministry of Defense's Facebook posts and video instructions on YouTube.

Starting from June 18, the application will allow users to generate an extract from the Oberih register with personal and service data stored in the register (electronic military record document, e-MRD) after clarifying their data.

If you have any questions about the application, you can contact the support service provided by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Additional information will be published on the day the service is launched.