Step-by-Step Ukraine Work Permit and Visa Process

Confirm employer eligibility

Before any document preparation begins, verify that your Ukrainian employer is a real, registered legal entity. The employer must appear in Ukraine's Unified State Register of Legal Entities and Sole Proprietors with an active status and a valid EDRPOU code — verifiable free of charge at data.gov.ua. The employer must not be subject to international sanctions, must have no record of systematic tax non-compliance, and must not have previously had work permits revoked by the DSZ.

Ghost companies — entities that exist on paper but have no real operations or staff — are a common element of work permit fraud in the Bangladesh-Ukraine corridor. Verifying the employer before you invest time or money in document preparation is not optional.

Use our Employer Verification service if you cannot do this check yourself. Timeline: 24–48 hours.

Employer applies for your work permit

The Ukrainian employer — not you, not an agent in Bangladesh — files the work permit application with the State Employment Service (Державна служба зайнятості — DSZ). This is a legal requirement under Ukrainian labour law and cannot be delegated to an intermediary outside Ukraine.

The employer's DSZ application package must include: a completed application form, your signed employment contract, a copy of your passport, copies of your educational or professional certificates relevant to the role, and evidence that the position could not be filled by a Ukrainian citizen (the vacancy must have been publicly posted for at least 30 days before the permit application is accepted). The DSZ reviews the application and may request additional materials before issuing a decision.

DSZ processing time after complete submission: 30–60 working days. The mandatory 30-day vacancy publication adds to this — the realistic minimum from employer preparation start is 10–14 weeks.

Receive and verify the work permit

When the DSZ approves the application, the original work permit is issued to the employer in Ukraine. Your employer will send you a certified copy or, in some cases, the original. The permit carries a unique serial number registered in the DSZ database.

Before you take any further steps, verify the serial number. Contact the DSZ directly, or use our document verification service. A permit that cannot be verified against the DSZ database is fraudulent regardless of how convincing it looks. Do not proceed to document preparation in Bangladesh until you have a verified permit in hand.

The permit specifies your name, employer, position, and validity period. Any discrepancy with your passport details must be corrected before proceeding.

Bangladesh document preparation

While or after the work permit is being processed, prepare your Bangladesh-side documents. This is the most time-consuming stage for applicants in Bangladesh and should begin as early as possible. The key documents and their authentication requirements are:

• BMET Smart Card clearance — mandatory for all Bangladeshi nationals departing for overseas employment. Apply at BMET headquarters in Dhaka or a divisional BMET office. You will need the work permit and visa before BMET will issue the Smart Card.
• Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) — issued by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police, Malibagh, Dhaka. Must then be apostilled by the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Wing. Validity: 6 months from date of issue.
• Educational certificates — all academic certificates relevant to the role must go through the full apostille chain: original certificate → Bangladesh MFA apostille → Ukrainian Embassy attestation → certified Ukrainian translation by a Ukrainian notary or licensed translator in Ukraine.
• Passport validity check — your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended return date from Ukraine. If your passport is approaching expiry, renew it before starting any visa process.

Allow 4–8 weeks for the full Bangladesh document apostille and authentication chain, including CID processing, MFA apostille, and international courier to Ukraine for translation.

Ukrainian Embassy appointment in Dhaka

Book your consular appointment by emailing emb_bd@mfa.gov.ua, stating your name, passport number, visa type (D-employment), and your preferred dates. VFS Global Bangladesh may also handle some appointments — check the current VFS Global Bangladesh page for availability.

Bring to the appointment: the completed Type D visa application form (current version from mfa.gov.ua), your passport, two passport-size photographs, a certified copy of the work permit, the signed employment contract, your BMET Smart Card, bank statements showing sufficient financial means (BDT 50,000 or equivalent is a common minimum; verify the current requirement), medical insurance with at least €30,000 coverage valid for the full intended stay, and the consular fee. The embassy may request additional documents — respond promptly to any such request.

Processing time after submission: 10–21 working days for Type D visas. The embassy decision is final — no agent can appeal or override it.

Travel and arrival in Ukraine

Before booking flights, confirm BMET Smart Card clearance is in hand and your visa is affixed in your passport. On arrival in Ukraine, you must register your presence with local authorities within the timeframe specified by Ukrainian law. Your employer's HR department should assist with this — registration typically involves your employer's legal address or your registered accommodation address.

Registration of your place of residence (propiska) is a legal requirement for foreign nationals in Ukraine. Failure to register on time is an administrative offence and can complicate your subsequent TRP application.

Your TRP application must be filed before your visa duration expires. Do not delay — begin the TRP process within the first two weeks of arrival.

Apply for Temporary Residence Permit (TRP)

If you intend to remain in Ukraine beyond your visa duration — which you will, as a working resident — you must apply for a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) at the State Migration Service of Ukraine (ДМСУ — DMSU). Submit before your visa expires. Applying after expiry constitutes an overstay offence.

The TRP application requires: your passport, the work permit (original), the employment contract, proof of registered address in Ukraine, medical insurance, a completed application form, and the state fee. The DMSU will take your biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) at the service centre. The biometric TRP card is typically produced within 15–30 working days and must be collected in person.

The TRP is issued for the duration of the work permit, usually one year, and must be renewed before expiry. Your employer initiates the work permit renewal; the TRP renewal follows once the renewed permit is in hand.

TRP card production: 15–30 working days. Renew the work permit and TRP at least 30–45 days before expiry to maintain continuous lawful status.