How Ukrainians Can Process an Inheritance While Abroad – Explanation by the Ministry of Justice
Kyiv • UNN
An inheritance can be accepted from abroad without traveling to Ukraine within six months. The application is submitted in person through a consulate or a notary.
Ukrainians residing abroad can accept an inheritance without personally traveling to Ukraine. This was reported by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, according to UNN.
It is not necessary to travel to Ukraine to accept an inheritance. If, at the time the inheritance was opened, you did not permanently reside with the deceased, you must submit an application to accept it. The general time limit is six months from the date the inheritance was opened. For those who permanently resided with the deceased at that time, a different rule applies: they are considered to have accepted the inheritance unless they rejected it within the established time limit
How to submit an application from abroad
According to the available information, to submit an application, the heir must have their signature certified at a Ukrainian consular office or by a foreign notary. If the document is оформed by a foreign notary, the requirements regarding an apostille or legalization and translation depend on the country and Ukraine’s international treaties.
Send the application by mail to a notary in Ukraine. It is advisable to first coordinate with the notary whether they can open or continue your inheritance case. Keep proof of dispatch: an application sent before the deadline for accepting the inheritance is considered timely, even if it reaches the notary later
The ministry emphasizes that the application to accept an inheritance must be submitted by the heir personally—a representative acting under a power of attorney cannot do this on their behalf. At the same time, the heir may authorize a representative in Ukraine to submit the documents required for the further processing of the inheritance and to obtain a certificate of the right to inherit.
Recall
All heirs under the law have equal shares in the inherited property unless otherwise provided by a will. However, the division of the inheritance may be changed by agreement among the heirs. What rules apply to inheritance and what should be taken into account.