Insurance for permanent residence permit: what you need to know

08.09.2026, 19:37 visitukraine.today

What insurance is needed for a permanent residence permit in Ukraine. Policy requirements, war risk coverage, example of an annual plan

Without a properly issued policy, a foreigner will not be able to legally obtain a permanent residence permit in Ukraine — requirements differ at each stage of the process.

The issue of insurance for obtaining a permanent residence permit in Ukraine causes a lot of confusion among foreigners. Some believe that a policy is only needed for entry, others — that it is not required at all. Many face refusals due to incorrectly issued documents or insufficient coverage. In this article, we break everything down: when insurance is mandatory, what requirements the Migration Service sets, why a regular tourist policy may be useless, and how to avoid common mistakes during registration.

Short answer: yes, but only at the initial stages of the process. The procedure for obtaining a permanent residence permit consists of two major steps, and the role of insurance differs at each of them. Understanding this difference will help avoid unnecessary costs and delays in the document processing.

Step 1: Obtaining an immigration permit and type D visa. This is the first and longest step. At this stage, having medical insurance is strictly mandatory under the Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons". Without a policy, a foreigner will simply not be issued a visa and will not be allowed to submit documents for an immigration permit. This is a fundamental requirement, without which the process will not begin. Consular offices of Ukraine abroad necessarily check the presence of a valid policy before issuing a type D visa, which is required for long-term stay in the country.

Planning to apply for a permanent residence permit? Choose an insurance policy that meets all requirements.

Step 2: Direct issuance of the plastic PRP card. When the immigration permit is already in hand, the foreigner applies to the State Migration Service to issue the actual permit card. In the list of documents for this final step, the insurance policy is no longer a key element, unlike a temporary residence permit, where it is required mandatorily. This is because after obtaining the immigration permit, the foreigner is already legally staying on the territory of Ukraine, and the main migration requirements are fulfilled.

Important point: a foreigner cannot legally reach the final stage and obtain a permanent residence permit without having insurance at the entry and document preparation stage. Moreover, after receiving a PRP, the foreigner's status is equated to the rights of Ukrainian citizens, and they gain access to free state healthcare, but until that moment, the policy is their only protection. That is why it is important to arrange quality coverage for the entire document processing period, which can last from several months to a year.

It is also worth noting that the processing time for permanent residence permit documents can vary significantly depending on the basis for obtaining it, the workload of the migration service, and other factors. On average, the process takes from 3 to 12 months, so the policy must cover this entire period with some time to spare. If you plan to stay in Ukraine for a long time, it is better to immediately arrange an annual policy rather than renewing short-term ones.

Read also: War risk insurance: how much coverage is enough

For successful completion of migration procedures, the policy cannot be "just any". Profile companies and legal services note the following critical requirements, and failure to meet even one of them can lead to refusal to accept documents.

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Company accreditation. The insurance policy must be issued by an insurance company that has a license to operate in Ukraine or has partnership agreements with Ukrainian operators. Policies from international companies without a Ukrainian license may not be accepted. This means that you need to choose verified Ukrainian insurance companies or international platforms with official registration in Ukraine. Border guards and migration service employees have access to the register of insurance companies and can verify the validity of the policy within minutes.

Term of validity. The policy is usually issued for at least 1 year. It must cover the entire period of document processing and the foreigner's stay until obtaining legal status. Short-term tourist policies for 7–30 days are not suitable for migration procedures, as the PRP processing can take several months. If the policy expires before you receive the permit, you will have to arrange a new one, which means additional time and money costs.

The amount of enough coverage. The minimum limit of insurance liability usually starts from 30,000 euros or equivalent in hryvnias. For internal needs, programs with a limit from 40,000 to 100,000 hryvnias are often required, depending on the package. This amount must cover potential costs for emergency medical care, inpatient treatment, and possible repatriation. It is important to understand that the coverage amount is not a formality, but real protection of your finances in case of serious illness or injury. Do not neglect this requirement. Do not try to seek a cheaper solution. Medical services are very expensive in Ukraine. Basic coverage will not be enough in critical situations.

Obligatory items that must be included. The policy must cover emergency medical care, outpatient and inpatient treatment, as well as costs for deportation or medical repatriation of the foreigner if such a need arises. Additionally, it is desirable that the policy includes coverage for dental care to relieve acute pain, treatment of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, acute inflammatory processes, thyroid diseases, and other urgent conditions.

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The annual Visa Insurance Armor+ plan, available on the Visit Ukraine platform, meets all these requirements. This policy has a coverage amount of 30,000 euros, zero deductible, a term of 1 year, and includes war risk coverage. It covers emergency medical care, inpatient treatment, dental care to relieve acute pain (up to 5,000 UAH), COVID-19 treatment (up to 15,000 UAH), meningococcal infection, acute inflammatory processes and injuries of the eye, ear, throat, nose, thyroid diseases, acute pancreatitis, as well as a payout of 100,000 UAH in case of death as a result of an accident during passive war risks. Such an example demonstrates what full coverage should look like for a foreigner applying for residence in Ukraine and shows what parameters to pay attention to when choosing a policy.

Read also: Medical insurance or war risk policy: what is the difference

Before registration, it is worth checking whether the name and surname, date of birth, citizenship, passport number, start and end dates are correctly indicated in the policy. The data in the contract must fully match the passport documents submitted to the consulate or SMS. Even a technical error in one letter can cause the document to be reissued. The details matter. Even a single incorrect letter may be a reason of refusal.

It is also important to ensure that the policy is printed or saved in PDF format, as electronic versions on a phone screen may not be accepted. It is advisable to have both an electronic and a paper copy of the document, especially if you plan to cross the border by land transport, where checks may be more thorough.

In the current realities of Ukraine, this is the most important issue. Regular medical insurance does not cover injuries resulting from hostilities — shrapnel wounds, consequences of missile strikes, explosions, etc. This means that even having a policy, you may be left without protection at a critical moment if war risks are not provided for in it.

For foreigners applying for documents during martial law, the SMS and border guards strongly recommend, and in many cases actually require, having a policy with extended war risk coverage. Insurance companies have developed separate packages specifically for migration procedures, taking into account the specifics of staying in Ukraine during the war.

War risk coverage includes protection against injuries related to hostilities, shelling, and other military events. This is critically important, as the situation can change suddenly, even if you do not plan to visit active combat zones. Without this item, the policy may be useless at a critical moment. It is worth remembering that war risks can include not only direct injuries, but also the consequences of a blast wave, burns from fires caused by hostilities, and other war-related injuries.

It is also worth considering that some insurance companies may have territorial restrictions for high-risk regions. Before purchasing, carefully check whether the policy is valid throughout Ukraine or if there are exceptions for certain regions or cities. This is especially important if you plan to travel around the country or work in different regions.

Going to Ukraine now? Choose a policy with war risk coverage — this is the only way to get maximum protection and financial compensation in case of injury from shelling, explosion, or other consequences of hostilities.

Registering an insurance policy for migration procedures requires attention to detail. The most common mistake is non-compliance with terms. If your policy is valid from September 1, and you submit documents on September 15, you must still have enough time before expiration to complete the entire process. The migration service may reject documents if the policy expires before the expected processing time.

Another important tip is to keep all documents related to insurance: contract, payment receipt, insurance rules. These documents will b