What nuances should be taken into account when registering abroad (illustrative photo: RBC-Ukraine/Vitaliy Nosach) Author: Vasilina Kopytko
Expert: Mikhail Lobunko
Ukrainian men between the ages of 16 and 60 who are abroad must register for military service. In some cases, this is done automatically.
RBC-Ukraine asked Mikhail Lobunko, a lawyer in the military law practice at Prikhodko & Partners Law Firm, about who can register for military service from abroad.
- Who is subject to military registration?
- What are the registration mechanisms?
- What are the nuances?
Who is subject to military registration?
“The new law on mobilization, which came into force in 2024, significantly changed the rules for men of draft age. In particular, from June 1, 2024, the opportunity that allowed men permanently residing abroad to freely leave Ukraine, even if they had another citizenship, was canceled,” the lawyer says.
At the same time, automatic registration of citizens was introduced through the electronic systems “Oberig” and “Trembita”, which integrate data between government agencies, in particular the State Migration Service and the Ministry of Defense.
Ukrainian men aged 16 to 60 must register for military service from abroad. The process depends on their age category and the actions they take abroad, such as applying for a passport at Ukraine's foreign missions.
How does this work:
- Men aged 16-25 are automatically entered into the Unified State Register of Conscripts, Persons of Conscription Age, and Reservists (USRRPR) without undergoing a military medical commission. This applies to those who submit documents abroad, for example, to obtain a passport. This simplification makes the process easier for students or young professionals who are outside of Ukraine;
- Men aged 25-60 who applied for passports before April 24, 2024, are automatically registered through the Oberig system. Their data, including information on their place of residence and citizenship, is transferred to the TCC for the issuance of an electronic military document.
“It is interesting that for younger age groups (16-25 years old) the absence of a requirement to undergo a medical examination was an unexpected simplification, while older categories are subject to more detailed accounting,” says Lobunko.
What are the registration mechanisms?
The automation of the process became possible due to the integration of state registers. The Oberig system receives data from such bodies as the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Tax Service, the State Border Service, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Pension Fund.
For example, applying for a passport abroad automatically triggers a check through the Trembita system, which transmits information to the Ministry of Defense; Oberig will know everything: from passport data to place of residence.
What are the nuances?
“Some categories of citizens may avoid certain procedures. For example, people with serious illnesses or disabilities may be exempt from medical examinations, provided that they provide the relevant documents. However, this does not cancel their registration with the TCC and SP if they meet the age criteria,” the lawyer explains.
Automatic registration eliminates the need to physically visit the TCC, which is a significant relief for Ukrainians abroad. However, it also means that men can be added to the register without their direct initiative, which requires them to be more aware of their responsibilities. In 2025, men will also need updated military documents to travel abroad, further emphasizing the importance of registration.
“So, practically all Ukrainian men aged 16 to 60 who interact with government agencies abroad, in particular through the processing of documents, must register with the TCC and SP from abroad. These changes reflect the state's desire to cover as many military personnel as possible, regardless of their place of residence, which is a step in the context of the mobilization needs of 2025,” Lobunko notes.
Read also that since the beginning of 2025, almost 10 thousand cases have been opened in Ukraine due to non-payment of fines for violation of military registration. This is almost equal to the number of cases for the whole of 2023.
Earlier, we wrote that the Verkhovna Rada is already considering bill No. 12093, which offers a 50% discount for timely payment of a fine for late updating of military registration data.
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