After the introduction of martial law, the issue of crossing the border with children became a pressing issue among parents. While children are permitted to travel abroad during martial law in Ukraine, there are a number of nuances that should be considered in advance.
It is attention to detail that often determines whether a trip goes smoothly or ends in refusal at the border.
General rules for children traveling abroad during wartime
Martial law does not prohibit children from leaving Ukraine, but the procedure itself has become more formalized. During the check, border guards look not only at the presence of documents but also at the overall rationale for the trip.
In particular, they check:
- Accompanying person;
- The presence and confirmation of family ties (if necessary);
- The completeness of the document package;
- The documents correspond to the stated purpose of the trip.
The most questions usually arise in situations where a child travels abroad during a war without both parents.
Who can accompany a child?
During martial law, a child can cross the border: with one of the parents;
- With a grandparent or other relative;
- With an authorized person (teacher, coach, acquaintance);
- As part of an organized group (training, competition, evacuation).
In each of these cases, border guards check the grounds for escort and the legality of departure.
What documents are checked at the border?
Typically, documents for the child and the accompanying person are checked at the border. This includes the child's international or international passport, birth certificate, and accompanying person's documents. Particular attention is paid to the reasons for exit and the accuracy of all paperwork.
The lack of necessary documentation or formal inaccuracies most often lead to border denial, even if the trip itself appears perfectly legal. Therefore, the question of how to travel abroad with a child during a war often comes down not to the rules, but to the correct paperwork.
In practice, problems most often arise from minor but critical errors: an unclearly identified escort, an incorrectly indicated country of travel, or a document validity that no longer matches the actual plans. In such cases, border guards act perfunctorily—and even a minor inaccuracy can prevent departure.
What has changed due to martial law
Martial law has impacted not so much the ability to leave the country, but rather the approach to checks themselves. Currently, this is:
- Increased document control;
- Different inspection practices at different checkpoints;
- More refusals due to formal errors;
- The need for clear proof of the legal basis for travel.
It's important to understand that during martial law, inspection practices may vary depending on the checkpoint and the specific situation. What was accepted without issue in one case may be subject to much more thorough scrutiny in another—this often explains the different stories of border crossings under seemingly similar circumstances.
This is why parents are increasingly preparing for trips in advance, checking documents before departure.
To ensure your trip doesn't fall through at the border, it's important to ensure in advance that all documents comply with current requirements and don't contain any ambiguous language.
If you need proper documentation for your child's travel abroad, you can find details and procedures for this service on the notary service page provided by Nadezhda Korneenkova in Dnipro.
04.01.2026
