Deportation from Ukraine: forced return, court expulsion and the bans that follow
Two legal measures, two different bans. What each one means for a Pakistani worker or student, who pays, and what to do in the first days after a decision.
Ukraine removes foreigners in two steps (Law No. 3773-VI). Forced return (Art. 26): the migration service, SBU or border guard orders you to leave within at most 30 days and may add a 3-year entry ban. Ignore it, and an administrative court can order forced expulsion (Art. 30): a 5-year ban, with the removal costs charged to you (Art. 32).
- 01Violation foundOverstay, work without a permit, false papers
- 02Fine100–300 tax-free minimum incomes (CAO Art. 203)
- 03Forced returnLeave within ≤30 days; a 3-year ban may be added
- 04Not left in timeCourt expulsion under escort, 5-year ban
- 05Ban ignored+10 years on top (Art. 13)
Forced return and forced expulsion: the difference
| Forced return · Art. 26 | Forced expulsion · Art. 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides | Migration service, SBU, or border guard (for people detained near the border); the prosecutor is told within 24 hours | Administrative court, on a claim by the migration service, SBU or border guard |
| When | Breach of the law on foreigners’ status, national security, public order, health or rights of others | Return decision not obeyed without good reason, or grounds to believe you will evade it |
| What you must do | Leave on your own within the term in the decision, at most 30 days | Removal under escort; if detained, a holding centre for up to 18 months (part 4) |
| Entry ban | May be added: 3 years from the decision | Always: 5 years, added to any earlier ban |
| Your documents | Visa cancelled; documents on your lawful stay withdrawn | Same, plus removal costs charged to you (Art. 32) |
| Appeal | To court (Art. 26, part 4) | Appeal of the court decision (Art. 30, part 2) |
The State Migration Service sums it up the same way on its own page: forced return “may be accompanied” by a 3-year ban, forced expulsion is “necessarily accompanied” by a 5-year one. Forced return does not apply to people under 18 (Art. 26, part 8); neither measure applies to those covered by the refugee law (Art. 26, part 8, and Art. 30, part 8), and nobody may be returned or expelled to a country where their life or freedom is at risk (Art. 31).
What gets Pakistani workers and students deported
| Staying after the visa or residence card expires | Living on expired documents or avoiding departure is an offence under Art. 203 of the Code of Administrative Offences; the migration service can then order forced return. Overstay risks |
|---|---|
| Working without a work permit, or for another employer | The employer is fined 20 minimum wages per worker under Law No. 5067-VI, Art. 53; for the worker it is a ground for forced return. Illegal employment risks |
| False information or forged documents | A ground to refuse entry (Law No. 3773-VI, Art. 13, part 1) and a criminal offence when a forged document is used knowingly (Criminal Code, Art. 358). Forged documents |
| Crossing the border outside a checkpoint | The border guard returns the person and bans entry for 5 years (Art. 14, part 2). Entry bans |
A residence card filed too late, a job taken before the permit, a document bought from a broker: each leads to one of the grounds above, and each is cheaper to fix before a decision. Why a visit visa cannot be turned into work status from inside Ukraine: why you cannot fix your status inside Ukraine.
What deportation costs you
- The fine. 100 to 300 tax-free minimum incomes under Art. 203 of the Code of Administrative Offences.
- The removal bill. After a court expulsion you repay tickets for yourself and your escorts, your stay in the holding centre, identification and paperwork. Cash found on you can be taken for it; the rest can be recovered through the courts (Art. 32).
- Your status. The visa is cancelled and the documents on your lawful stay are withdrawn (Art. 26, part 7), so the job, the residence card and the study place end with them.
- Future entry. Even after the ban runs out, entry can be refused while a fine or a debt from the earlier stay, including removal costs, is unpaid (Art. 13, part 1).
Received a decision? The first days
- Read three things in the decision: its grounds, the date by which you must leave, and the appeal procedure. The law requires all three on your copy (Art. 26, part 3).
- Keep every paper: the decision, your passport pages, residence card, contract, work permit and payment receipts. They decide whether an appeal has a basis.
- Get a lawyer’s view before the term runs out. Either the decision can be challenged in court, or leaving on time is the cheaper outcome, because it keeps the case away from court expulsion and the 5-year ban.
- Plan the way back with the ban in mind. A later application needs a lawful basis again, and the old record stays on file.
Deportation questions
What is the difference between forced return and deportation from Ukraine?
How long is the entry ban after deportation from Ukraine?
Can I appeal a deportation decision in Ukraine?
Who pays for deportation from Ukraine?
Can I be detained before deportation?
Deport hone ke baad dobara Ukraine ja sakta hoon?
Read next
Official sources
Show the decision to a Ukrainian advocate.
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Last reviewed: 31 October 2026. Articles of Law No. 3773-VI and Art. 203 of the Code of Administrative Offences as checked on 31 October 2026. This page explains the law; decisions in your case rest with the authorities and the courts.