Ukraine halts consular services for men aged 18-60

Ukraine suspends consular services for men of military age

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on April 23 the suspension of new consular service requests for Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 residing abroad. The measure comes a week after the country approved the new mobilization law, leaving these citizens unable to renew passports or receive most administrative services. The only exception: registering identity documents to return to Ukraine.

The ministry led by Dmytro Kuleba justified the decision by stating that the statutes regulating consular work "must be updated to adapt them to their requirements." In practice, embassies and consulates stop serving this profile, except in emergencies such as traffic accidents or natural disasters. The consulates in Prague and Barcelona had already suspended services, as reported by Suspilne.

What it means to be without a passport abroad

The state passport service acknowledged on Facebook that, "for technical reasons," the issuance of documents produced at foreign branches of the state-owned company Document has been suspended. Minors under 12 retain access because they need biometric documents.

The practical effect is that a Ukrainian man of military age living abroad may end up with an expired passport and, effectively, undocumented. Some recall that irregular status is not automatic: an expired passport does not expel anyone from a third country, as entry and stay requirements differ. But without a valid document, renewing visas or proving identity becomes complicated.

Kuleba's message: "Staying abroad does not exempt"

The Foreign Minister was explicit on X: "How it looks now: a man of conscription age went abroad, showed his state he doesn't care about its survival, and then comes back wanting to receive services from this state." He added: "This does not work this way. Our country is at war. Staying abroad does not exempt a citizen from their duties to the Fatherland."

Kuleba also ordered "measures to restore fair attitudes toward men of recruitment age in Ukraine and abroad," and announced that his ministry would provide further clarifications on the procedure. The BBC estimated in November 2023 that around 650,000 Ukrainian men of military age had left for the EU since the start of the large-scale invasion.

Who is exempt and who is not

Under martial law, Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 cannot leave the country except in specific cases. The consular suspension does not distinguish by income, but public debate includes arguments that those with resources find ways to avoid the front. At the other extreme, some recall the case of a citizen deported from Spain who, according to that account, enlisted shortly after.

The decision also opens the door to a legal paradox: if a Ukrainian cannot renew their documentation, can they apply for the nationality of the host country or even a Russian passport? The question circulates without an official answer. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs limits itself to promising clarifications.

The gender gap no one discusses openly

Mandatory mobilization affects only men. This asymmetry fuels a current of opinion highlighting the contrast between equality rhetoric and military practice. Some argue that women are empowered for everything except going to the front, and that the EU does not apply the same standard when accepting one refugee group over another.

Kuleba himself has criticized men who left. The measure aims to pressure them to return. Whether it will work is another matter. What is clear is that the consulate is no longer a neutral counter: it is a customs post with military criteria.

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What happens when the State you ask for paperwork denies it precisely so you return home to serve? The answer, for now, remains uncertain.