A Ukrainian company can carry a Pakistani founder's residence in two ways. With at least EUR 100,000 of foreign investment in its charter capital, the founder qualifies for a temporary residence permit (Law No. 3773-VI, Art. 4, part 12). With less, the company employs the founder on a work permit, and the residence permit follows that job.
The founder route is sometimes sold in four words: “open a company, get residence”. The law behind it is more specific. A registered Ukrainian limited liability company (a TOV) is the starting point for two different residence grounds, and the amount you can invest decides which one applies to you. This guide sets out both, the order of steps, and what keeps the residence permit valid once you have it. It follows Law of Ukraine No. 3773-VI “On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons”, Law No. 5067-VI “On Employment of the Population” and Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 322.
- 01Register the TOVRecord and EDRPOU code in the Unified State Register
- 02Choose the groundEUR 100,000 in charter capital, or a work permit from your company
- 03Type D visaEmbassy of Ukraine, via VFS in Pakistan
- 04Residence permitState Migration Service · card within 15 working days
Step 1. Register the company
The company exists from the moment it is entered in the Unified State Register and receives its 8-digit EDRPOU code. That record is public: anyone, including the embassy and the migration service, can see the company's status, address, founders and director. The registration covers the charter, the founders' decision, the activity codes (KVED) the company will actually use, then tax registration and a bank account. For a foreign founder, the bank's know-your-customer check on the founder and the source of funds is a step to plan for. The procedure is set out in our company registration guide, and the entity itself in what a Ukrainian TOV is.
Step 2. Choose the residence ground
| Founder with investment | Employee of your own company | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal ground | Founder, participant or beneficial owner who came to control the company (Law No. 3773-VI, Art. 4, part 12) | Employment by the company (Art. 4, part 4) on a work permit (Law No. 5067-VI, Art. 42-2) |
| Money condition | Foreign investment in the charter capital of at least EUR 100,000 at the National Bank rate on the day it is made | Salary at least the minimum wage, UAH 8,647 a month in 2026; charter capital of any size |
| Extra step before the visa | The stake and the investment are the ground; taking a paid job as director needs a work permit as well | Your company files for your work permit and pays the fee (Arts. 42-2, 42-4); decision within up to 7 working days (Art. 42-6) |
| What keeps residence alive | Your stake and the investment staying in the company | The job and the permit, up to 2 years and renewable (Art. 42-3) |
| Suits | Investors with EUR 100,000 to put into the business | Founders with a real business and a smaller budget |
The EUR 100,000 condition counts foreign investment in the charter capital, at the National Bank of Ukraine rate on the day it is made. A smaller company can still be your ground, through a job: the company applies for your work permit like any other employer, with a certified draft contract and a salary no lower than the minimum wage. The steps of that permit are in our work permit guide.
Step 3. The Type D visa
A Pakistani citizen enters Ukraine on a Type D visa for the purpose of the stay, applied for through VFS Global and decided by the Embassy of Ukraine. On the employee route the visa is the D-04, issued on a certified copy of the work permit, with a consular fee of USD 404 for Pakistani citizens. Owning the company does not replace the visa, and the visa does not replace the residence permit. Fees by visa type are in Ukraine visa fees from Pakistan.
Step 4. The temporary residence permit
After entry you file at the State Migration Service no later than 15 working days before your permitted stay ends, and the card is issued within 15 working days of the documents being accepted (Resolution No. 322). On the employee route the card lasts as long as the work permit, up to 2 years, and is renewed with it. Our residence permit service covers the filing.
A company that only exists on paper
A company bought or registered only to hang a residence permit on it has no turnover, no staff and no contracts, and the company’s tax filings show it. On the employee route, the permit depends on a real job: when the contract ends, the company asks for the permit to be revoked (Law No. 5067-VI, Art. 42-10) and the work-based residence permit ends with it (Resolution No. 322, para. 63). On the founder route, the residence rests on your stake and the investment staying in place. The applicant carries this risk, whoever sold the company. Offers to sell a ready company “with residence included” are covered in our page on fake visa agents.
Who the founder route suits
- Pakistani entrepreneurs who already trade with Ukraine and need a Ukrainian invoicing company.
- IT and services exporters setting up a Ukrainian operating company with clients and staff.
- Investors with EUR 100,000 to put into the charter capital of a business they will run.
- Founders with a smaller budget who will work for their company on a work permit and pay at least the minimum wage.
For applicants with a verified job offer from an existing employer, the work permit route is usually simpler, because the employer already exists and carries the filing.
Questions about residence through a Ukrainian company
Can a Pakistani get a residence permit in Ukraine by opening a company?
How much investment do I need for residence through a Ukrainian company?
Can I be the director of my own Ukrainian company?
Do I still need a visa if I own a Ukrainian company?
What happens to my residence if the company stops working?
How much does it cost to register a company in Ukraine with uavisa.pk?
Read next
- Company registration in UkraineCharter, register, tax and bank, with a $600 deposit
- Business immigration explainedResidence anchored to a company
- Company registration timelineWhat sets the pace of each step
- Freelance work in UkraineWhy every permit names an employer
Sources
Find out which ground your budget supports.
Eligibility assessment, $99: founder or employee route for your budget, in order, with an indicative timeline and your first action. Ready to start? Company registration begins with a $600 deposit.
Last reviewed: 30 October 2026. General information, not legal advice for your case. Visa and residence decisions rest solely with the Ukrainian authorities. Travel to Ukraine is restricted by the war; check current advisories before planning.