Fake marriage for Ukrainian residence: how the state checks it and what it costs you
What Ukrainian law says since 2023, the eight circumstances the migration service checks, and the lawful routes that remain.
A marriage registered to obtain Ukrainian residence is a fictitious marriage. Since 2023 the Law “On Immigration” lists eight circumstances, such as payment for consent or no common language, in which a marriage gives no right to an immigration permit, checked through interviews and written tests. If a court annuls the marriage, the permit falls with it.
- 01Marriage registeredCivil registration in Ukraine
- 02ApplicationBoth spouses present at filing
- 03Interviews and testsBoth spouses, in person or by video
- 04InquiriesOther people, state bodies
- 05Any of 8 circumstancesRefusal; court can annul the marriage
What Ukrainian law says about fictitious marriage
| Family Code of Ukraine, Art. 40 | A marriage registered without the intention to create a family is fictitious; a court can declare it invalid. |
|---|---|
| Law “On Immigration”, Art. 4, part 3, item 1 | A spouse married to a Ukrainian citizen for more than two years can receive an immigration permit outside the quota. |
| Law “On Immigration”, Art. 4-1 (2023) | Eight circumstances in which marriage to a Ukrainian citizen or immigrant is no basis for a permit; interviews, written tests and inquiries to check them. |
| Law “On Immigration”, Art. 12-1 (2024) | A permit granted on a marriage that a court annulled as fictitious is invalidated, together with the permanent residence permit issued on it. |
| Criminal Code, Art. 358 | Forged certificates or documents in the file are a separate criminal offence. |
The eight circumstances the migration service checks
- One spouse received material compensation for consenting to the marriage.
- The spouses do not live together or share a household.
- The spouses did not meet or communicate before the marriage.
- The spouses have no language they both understand.
- One spouse was married before to a Ukrainian citizen or immigrant, and that marriage was not accepted as a basis for a permit.
- The spouses lack basic personal information about each other: birth, education, work, family.
- The applicant refuses to have the spouse present when filing.
- A spouse refuses written consent to an interview and written tests.
Any one of them is enough for the marriage to give no right to the permit. The check uses interviews with both spouses, including by videoconference, written tests, questions to other people and inquiries to state bodies.
How the “marriage package” is sold
A broker offers a Ukrainian “spouse”, a registration date and a residence card for a single price. The spouses meet at the registry office, live apart and share no language; the money trail runs from the applicant to the broker and the spouse. Each of these is one of the eight circumstances above, so the package fails at the very check it was sold to pass. Any forged documents in such a file carry their own criminal liability.
What a fictitious marriage costs you
- Refusal. The marriage is no basis for an immigration permit under Art. 4-1.
- Loss of status later. If a court annuls the marriage, the immigration permit and the permanent residence permit are invalidated (Art. 12-1).
- Without status, an entry ban. A foreigner left without a lawful ground can face forced return, which may come with a 3-year entry ban (Law No. 3773-VI, Art. 26, part 2): see entry bans.
- Criminal exposure. Forged documents in the file fall under Article 358 of the Criminal Code.
- The money. Paid to a broker and a “spouse”, outside any contract you could enforce.
If your marriage is genuine
A real marriage passes the same checks, and preparation helps. Both spouses attend the filing, agree in writing to the interview and know each other’s background; Pakistani civil-status documents, such as the marriage certificate, are apostilled and translated. If your spouse is a foreigner with a Ukrainian residence permit, the family-reunification ground applies once that permit is issued: see Ukraine residence permit (TRP). A 60-minute consultation with a Ukrainian advocate goes through your documents and the interview.
How we help, and what it costs
| Eligibility assessment · $99 | Which lawful route to Ukraine fits you (work, study, business or family), in writing within 3 working days. |
|---|---|
| Lawyer consultation · $249 | 60 minutes with a Ukrainian advocate and a written summary within 48 hours: your marriage file, the interview, the risks. |
| Document review · $349 | Up to 4 documents with authenticity indicators and a risk memo signed by a Ukrainian lawyer in 3–5 days. |
Fake marriage questions
Can a fake marriage get me residence in Ukraine?
How does Ukraine check whether a marriage is fictitious?
How long must I be married to a Ukrainian citizen for an immigration permit?
What happens if a court declares the marriage fictitious?
Can an agent arrange a marriage for a Ukrainian visa or residence?
Ukraine mein contract shaadi se residence mil sakta hai?
Read next
Official sources
Ask for the lawful route in writing instead.
Eligibility assessment, $99, written answer within 3 working days. Married already and preparing for the interview? A 60-minute lawyer consultation is $249.
Last reviewed: 30 October 2026. Law “On Immigration” as amended by Laws No. 3180-IX (2023) and No. 4017-IX (2024). Decisions rest with the State Migration Service and the courts.