A Ukrainian who lives in an EU country does not lose the right to a pension from Ukraine simply by moving abroad. The simplest way is to have it credited to an account at an authorised Ukrainian bank and use the card abroad, and each year, by 31 December, to complete identification with the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU). Periods of work earned in the EU can be credited only if there is an international social security agreement with that country.
Below we explain how payments and transfers work, the most common reasons pensions are suspended and how to apply without returning to Ukraine. Information is current as of October 2026.
How a Ukrainian pension is paid abroad
Payment to an account in a Ukrainian bank
The main method is crediting the pension to a current account in one of the authorised banks with which the PFU cooperates. The card can be used to pay in shops across the EU, withdraw cash from ATMs and transfer funds via the bank’s app. The Constitutional Court already in 2009 declared unconstitutional the provision to suspend a pension for the entire period of living abroad, so the mere fact of leaving Ukraine is not grounds to stop payments.
If the card is lost or its validity expires, reissue can usually be ordered remotely with delivery abroad. Delivery terms and costs depend on the specific bank, so it is worth checking them in advance.
Transfer abroad
Pensioners who have moved to reside permanently in a country with which Ukraine has a social security agreement can receive their pension by transfer to an account in a bank in the country of residence. According to the PFU, such payments arrive quarterly or via the competent body of the other state. For people under temporary protection who previously received their pension in cash via the post office, Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (CMU) resolution No. 328 of 18.04.2023 provides for an international postal transfer through JSC «Ukrposhta», which has the technical capability to make such transfers.
There is no home delivery of the pension by a postman abroad. Therefore, those who still receive funds by post in Ukraine will find it easier to open an account at an authorised bank and submit an application to change the payment method.
Currency and fees
Pensions are calculated and paid in hryvnia. When paying by card in euros or zloty the bank converts the amount at its own rate, and withdrawing cash from non‑issuing ATMs may incur a fee. It is useful to check the bank’s tariffs and limits on operations abroad before leaving, since they may change during martial law.
Mandatory identification by 31.12.2026
Methods
A pensioner who has spent more than 183 days outside Ukraine in a year or has the status of temporary protection or refugee must, each year by 31 December, undergo in‑person identification under Article 47‑1 of the Law “On Compulsory State Pension Insurance”. From abroad the most convenient way is to log into the personal account on the PFU web portal using Diia.Signature, a qualified electronic signature (QES) or ID.GOV.UA. Another remote option provides for video identification by application on the portal, with a session in a messenger scheduled within 10–30 days.
Consulate
If there is no electronic signature, one can apply at a Ukrainian embassy or consulate and obtain a document confirming the person is alive. That document, together with the application, is sent by post to the PFU, and the identification is recorded only after the letter is received. There is a separate requirement for those who receive pensions to accounts in banks in Spain, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Portugal or Poland: they must each year, by 31 December, send to the PFU a certified “Confirmation of Life”.
Consequences
Without identification the payment is suspended from the following year. After passing the check and submitting an application the pension is reinstated from the date of suspension if the pensioner applies within a year, so it is not advisable to postpone the procedure until the end of December.
Risks of payment suspension
Movement of funds
Under Article 49 of Law No. 1058‑IV payments are suspended if the appointed pension has not been received for six consecutive months. In practice the bank notifies the fund when there are no transactions on the card for a long period: cash withdrawals, payments or transfers. To avoid this it is enough to use the card regularly or at least transfer part of the funds once every few months.
Failure to submit identification
Missing the deadline of 31 December remains the most common reason for pensions being suspended abroad. At the start of 2026 this was exactly why some pensioners were excluded from payment lists. The most frequent reasons payments are stopped are:
- identification was not completed by 31 December;
- the pension was not received for six consecutive months because there were no account transactions;
- a consular document was sent late and did not reach the PFU in time;
- the pensioner did not inform the fund of a change in circumstances affecting payment;
- for people from the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) there is no statement about non‑receipt of a pension from the Russian Federation.
Notifying the PFU
A pensioner is obliged to notify the fund about circumstances that affect payment, for example a permanent move of residence or the award of a pension by another state under a territorial‑principle agreement. Failure to do so risks double payments for the same insurance record, and any excess funds received will have to be returned. A notification can be submitted in the personal account on the web portal or by calling the PFU hotline at 0 800 503 753.
How to credit periods of work earned in the EU
International agreements
Periods of work acquired abroad are taken into account for a Ukrainian pension only where there is an international agreement. Most current agreements with EU countries are concluded on a proportionality basis, while with Hungary and Romania Soviet‑era agreements from the 1960s using the territorial principle are still applied. An agreement on social security with Germany has been signed, but according to Deutsche Rentenversicherung, Ukraine has not yet ratified it.
| Country | Agreement | Principle |
|---|---|---|
| Poland | Agreement of 2012, in force from 01.01.2014 | Proportional |
| Czech Republic, Slovakia | Agreements of 2001 and 2000 | Proportional |
| Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia | Agreements of 2001, 1998 and 2010 | Proportional |
| Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria | Agreements of 1996, 2009 and 2001 | Proportional |
| Hungary, Romania | Soviet agreements of 1962 and 1960 | Territorial |
| Germany, other EU countries | No agreement in force | Periods are not aggregated |
Proportionality principle
Under the proportionality principle the periods of insurance in both countries are added together only to establish the right to a pension. Each state pays its portion for the period of work completed on its territory, so a person may receive two pensions simultaneously. For example, the agreement with Poland requires at least 12 months’ insurance in each country, otherwise the shorter period alone is not paid separately.
Under the territorial principle the pension is awarded and paid by the country of residence taking all periods into account. After moving to Hungary or Romania the Ukrainian payment is stopped, and the new state pays a pension from the next month under its own legislation.
Documents
To have Polish, Czech or other foreign periods credited you submit an application to the PFU, and the fund itself requests confirmation from the competent institution of the other country using special bilingual forms. It is worth keeping employment contracts, employer certificates and statements from the foreign insurance institution. Foreign documents must be translated into Ukrainian and copies notarised or certified at the consulate.
Applying for a pension from abroad
Online application
An old‑age pension can be applied for without travelling to Ukraine through the “Application for pension award” section on the PFU web portal. To log in and sign you need a QES or Diia.Signature. The procedure consists of several steps:
- log into your account and choose the type of pension;
- consent to remote notification and the processing of personal data;
- upload scanned passport, taxpayer registration number (RNOKPP), employment record book, diploma and certificates of insurance periods;
- indicate the authorised bank and the account for payment;
- check the completed application, sign it and submit.
Power of attorney
If it is difficult to submit the application personally, documents can be submitted by an authorised person in Ukraine. A power of attorney issued abroad is prepared at a Ukrainian consulate or by a local notary with an apostille and translation. Before submission it is worth confirming at the PFU service centre which specific powers the document must contain.
Deadlines
You should apply no later than three months after reaching retirement age; then the pension is awarded from the day following the date of reaching that age. Decisions are made within 10 days after the application and all documents are received, and the status of the review is visible in the account on the portal. If the fund requests additional documents the deadline is effectively extended, so it is better to prepare scans in advance.
Taxes on the pension
Pensions paid by the PFU are not subject to personal income tax (PIT) in Ukraine: the Constitutional Court declared the corresponding provision unconstitutional in 2018, and Law No. 466‑IX removed it from the Tax Code. At the same time the country where you have become a tax resident may require you to declare a foreign pension under its own rules. The procedure depends on the double tax avoidance convention, so it is worth checking with the local tax authority.
Frequently asked questions
Can a pension be paid to a foreign bank card?
Usually no, because the pension is credited to an account in an authorised Ukrainian bank. A transfer to an account in a bank in the country of residence is possible for those who have moved to reside permanently in a state with which there is a social security agreement.
Is work in Poland taken into account?
Yes, under the 2012 agreement the periods of both countries are summed for entitlement to a pension. Each state pays its share, and the minimum period in each of them is 12 months.
Do I need to return to Ukraine for identification?
No, identification can be completed remotely via the PFU web portal using an electronic signature or by video link. Another option is to contact the consulate and send the document by post to the PFU.
Will temporary protection affect my pension?
The status of temporary protection does not deprive a person of the right to a Ukrainian pension. However, with that status the pensioner is considered temporarily residing abroad and must undergo identification each year by 31 December.
