Pensioners who are abroad or registered in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine are obliged to undergo physical identification, otherwise, after December 31, 2026, the accrual of pensions for them may be suspended. This was reported by the Pension Fund of Ukraine.
Who is affected by the requirement and how to fulfill it
Annual physical identification is mandatory for two categories of pension recipients: those who temporarily reside outside Ukraine, and those whose payment address is tied to Russian-occupied areas. The list of such categories is enshrined at the legislative level.
The Pension Fund offers four ways to undergo the procedure, depending on where the person is currently located:
Through the PFU web portal with Diia.Signature. You need to log in to your personal account on the web portal of electronic services of the Pension Fund of Ukraine using Diia.Signature.
Video identification. An option for those who do not have an electronic signature. An application can be submitted through the PFU web portal or by calling the fund's contact center.
Personal visit to a PFU service center. Suitable for pensioners who are currently in Ukraine. You must have your passport and taxpayer registration number (RNOKPP) with you.
Through the Ukrainian embassy or consulate abroad. The diplomatic institution issues a document confirming the fact that the person is alive. This document is then submitted to the PFU - by mail or through the web portal.
How to avoid the annual procedure
For pensioners who have left the occupied territories and now live in Ukrainian-controlled territory, there is a practical solution: change the pension payment address to the new place of residence. After that, annual identification will no longer be required.
The identification procedure serves as confirmation that the pension recipient is alive and can continue to receive funds. It is on the basis of this confirmation that the PFU continues to accrue payments.
The PFU emphasizes:
If a pensioner has moved from the temporarily occupied territories, it is advisable for them to change the address where the pension is paid to the address at the new place of residence in the territory controlled by Ukraine. This will avoid the need to undergo physical identification annually.
Video: How to submit an application for the transfer of pension payments to a new place of residence?
