Appealing a refusal to issue a passport

 YOUR GOAL

When you can be denied a Ukrainian passport (domestic or international)

A refusal to issue a passport is a common situation faced by applicants when contacting the State Migration Service of Ukraine (SMS). Below are the main reasons for passport issuance refusals that are often subject to court appeal in Ukraine.

• Incomplete document package — missing mandatory documents required by law.
• Incorrect or inconsistent documents — errors, discrepancies in personal data, copies instead of originals.
• Lack of registered residence address — one of the most common reasons for refusal by the SMS.
• Doubts about Ukrainian citizenship — insufficient proof of citizenship or data mismatch in state registries.
• Pending court cases or restrictions — e.g., ongoing citizenship disputes or a court-imposed travel ban.
• Failure to return a previous passport — or lack of proper confirmation of loss.
• Technical errors in the SMS database — duplicate data or registry malfunction.
• Refusal to issue a paper passport — when the applicant insists on a booklet passport, but SMS issues only ID cards.
• Refusal to issue a foreign passport — due to unpaid debts, alimony, or court restrictions on travel.
• Issues with biometric data — invalid photos or signature mismatches.

Important: Most reasons for refusal can be fixed without court intervention. If your case requires legal support — this service is for you!

 OUR OFFER

Legal assistance in appealing passport refusal in Ukraine

If you were denied a Ukrainian passport or foreign passport, this decision is not final. Ukrainian law allows you to appeal the refusal of the State Migration Service in court and restore your rights. The lawyers of Eurovector Law Firm have extensive experience in passport-related cases and provide full legal support.

Our process:

• Initial consultation — analyzing the reasons for refusal, checking SMS decisions for legal compliance.
• Attorney’s request — obtaining official copies of documents that served as grounds for refusal.
• Administrative complaint — filing an appeal to the higher authority demanding cancellation of the illegal refusal.
• Filing a lawsuit in the administrative court — preparing a claim referencing Ukrainian law, Supreme Court and ECHR practice.
• Representation in court — our lawyers defend your rights and demand a court order to issue the passport.
• Enforcement control — ensuring the decision is executed and the passport is actually issued.

Typical cases we handle:

• Refusal to issue a passport due to lack of residence registration.
• Refusal to issue a booklet-type passport for religious reasons.
• Illegal denial of a foreign passport because of a “travel ban” without a valid court order.
• Refusal by SMS due to “unconfirmed citizenship” or technical registry errors.
• Long-term inaction of the SMS — documents submitted but no decision made.

Result: We achieve the cancellation of the SMS refusal, recognition of their actions as unlawful, and a court order to issue a Ukrainian or foreign passport within the legal timeframe.

By choosing our team, you receive:

• Professional legal assessment and defense strategy.
• Comprehensive legal support — from refusal analysis to actual passport issuance.
• Experience of lawyers who have repeatedly won passport refusal appeal cases in Ukrainian courts.

Do not accept an unlawful refusal! Appealing a passport denial is your legal way to protect your right to citizenship and freedom of movement.

 WHEN A REFUSAL CAN BE CANCELED WITHOUT COURT

It is not always necessary to go to court immediately. In certain cases, a passport refusal can be resolved administratively if you submit the correct documents on time.

Common cases when refusal can be canceled without court:

• Technical error or database malfunction in SMS.
• Incomplete document package.
• Error in citizenship verification.
• Refusal due to name or surname change. Our lawyers help correct and notarize the necessary documents.
• Incorrectly filled application or questionnaire.
• Refusal due to expired documents.

Lawyers of "Eurovector" Law Firm help clients correctly prepare requests, applications, and repeated submissions to the State Migration Service (SMS) to avoid lengthy litigation and obtain a passport without going to court.

Our goal is to restore your right to a passport as quickly as possible and with minimal bureaucracy.

 WHEN A PASSPORT REFUSAL CAN ONLY BE APPEALED IN COURT

Some refusals to issue a passport are formal and can be challenged only through an administrative court. These include:

• Conflicting data in state registries — for example, discrepancies in citizenship or address information.
• Formal refusals without specific reasons — when the SMS cites “incomplete data” or “unresolved issues.”
• Refusal due to doubts about the authenticity of documents — for instance, unsubstantiated suspicions of forgery that halt passport issuance.
• Complex cases of dual citizenship or name change, where the right to a passport can be confirmed only by a court decision.
• Refusals violating the constitutional right to a passport, when bureaucracy effectively restricts fundamental civil rights.

In such cases, without professional legal assistance, a person cannot independently restore their right to a passport. Competent legal representation in court allows you to effectively appeal the refusal of the State Migration Service and obtain the document lawfully.

 CASE STUDY

Situation: A Ukrainian citizen applied for a new passport after changing her last name due to marriage. Due to an error in the migration database, she was refused a passport — the system failed to verify her previous document.

Problem: The refusal was based on a technical mistake — the old passport data had not been updated after the name change. As a result, SMS staff concluded she “had no confirmed citizenship.”

Our solution: The Eurovector Law Firm prepared an official request to the SMS to review archived records and correct the data. Copies of the old passport, marriage certificate, and residence certificate were attached.

Result: Within 10 days, the SMS acknowledged the error, corrected the registry data, and issued a new passport without court involvement. The client received her document legally and without delay.

This case demonstrates that not every passport refusal requires a lawsuit. A well-prepared legal request often helps restore rights at the administrative stage.

 CASE STUDY

Situation: A Ukrainian citizen applied for a new passport after the previous one expired. He was refused a passport due to “unresolved citizenship issues” and “incomplete registry data,” even though all documents were correctly submitted.

Problem: The refusal was formal but effectively violated the citizen’s right to obtain an identity document. Repeated appeals to the SMS brought no results — the refusal remained in force, and the citizen was unable to use basic rights (banking, legal, travel, and other services).

Our solution: Eurovector lawyers filed an administrative claim to declare the SMS’s actions illegal and compel passport issuance. The court received:

• copies of all submitted documents;
• proof of timely application submission;
• correspondence with the SMS confirming unsuccessful administrative attempts.

Result: The court ruled the refusal unlawful and ordered the SMS to issue the passport promptly. The document was issued within days after the judgment took effect, restoring the client’s full civil rights.

Conclusion: Sometimes, appealing a passport refusal in court is the only effective way to defend one’s rights. Professional legal assistance ensures a quick, lawful resolution and protects you from bureaucratic obstacles.

 DOCUMENTS

Documents for appealing passport refusal without court

The complete set of required documents is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Documents for court appeal of passport refusal

The complete set of required documents is determined on a case-by-case basis.

 Price

Appealing a passport refusal – service terms and cost

We guarantee the final result – obtaining the passport (domestic or international).

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LAW COMPANY EUROVECTOR