Contents
For family reunification abroad the core package is the same: birth and marriage certificates with an apostille, a translation into the destination country's language, and proof of kinship. Civil-registry certificates are apostilled by the Ministry of Justice (UAH 670 individuals / 1,160 legal entities, up to 3 working days), diplomas by the Ministry of Education, and police clearance by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Apostille the original first, then translate. Exact rules vary by country — confirm with the embassy.
Which documents to prepare: certificates, kinship, status
The core of a reunification package is civil-status records: a marriage certificate (for spouses) and birth certificates (for children and to prove the parent–child link). You add a passport, proof of kinship, and proof of the sponsor's status: a residence permit or citizenship confirmation, a housing lease, and an income statement.
Some of these are civil-registry records, so they are apostilled by the Ministry of Justice (UAH 670 individuals / 1,160 legal entities, up to 3 working days). A diploma needs a Ministry of Education apostille, and a police clearance certificate a Ministry of Internal Affairs apostille (UAH 51 / 85, up to 10 working days). Electronic extracts are not accepted everywhere: the apostille is usually placed on a paper original with a wet seal. Always check the exact list for your visa category on the embassy's website.
Apostille and translation: the correct order in 2026
For Hague Convention countries (Germany and most of the EU), documents are legalized with an apostille — consular legalization is not required. The order is always the same: apostille the original first, then translate into the country's language, because the apostille stamp is translated too.
Ukraine has no sworn translators. For submission inside Ukraine you order a Ukrainian notarized translation — the notary certifies the authenticity of the translator's signature, not the content. A sworn (court) translation is done in the destination country: tłumacz przysięgły in Poland, vereidigter Übersetzer in Germany, soudní tlumočník in Czechia. A standard translation page is 1,800 characters with spaces; names are transliterated under Cabinet Resolution No. 55.
How requirements differ by country
The scenario depends on the country. Germany is a Hague Convention country: you need an apostille (Ministry of Justice for certificates, Ministry of Education for diplomas, Ministry of Internal Affairs for police clearance) and a German translation; the sworn translation is done in Germany. With Poland, Czechia, Moldova and CIS countries a legal-assistance treaty applies — no apostille or legalization is needed for submission, a notarized translation is enough.
Outside the Hague Convention, consular legalization applies: the issuing body → the MFA → the embassy. These are only guidelines: lists, form versions and income thresholds change every year. Always confirm the final requirements for your category directly with the destination country's embassy.
We will prepare the certificates and translations turnkey — order an apostille for your documents for family reunification at the Etalon bureau.
Frequently asked questions
Which body apostilles a marriage or birth certificate?
Marriage and birth certificates are civil-registry records, so they are apostilled by the Ministry of Justice: UAH 670 for individuals / 1,160 for legal entities, up to 3 working days. A diploma is apostilled by the Ministry of Education, a police clearance by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (UAH 51 / 85, up to 10 working days). These are state fees, excluding the translation cost.
Do I need a sworn translation or is a notarized one enough?
It depends on where you submit. Ukraine has no sworn translators — for submission here you order a notarized translation. A sworn (court) translation is done in the destination country: tłumacz przysięgły in Poland, vereidigter in Germany, soudní in Czechia. Confirm the requirement with the embassy.
Is an apostille required for Poland and Czechia?
No. With Poland, Czechia, Moldova and CIS countries a bilateral legal-assistance treaty applies, so no apostille or legalization is needed for submission — a notarized translation is enough. For Germany and most other EU countries an apostille is required.
Can the documents be handled remotely from another city?
Yes. Etalon works remotely: you send the documents by Nova Poshta, and we submit them for the apostille in Kyiv by power of attorney. We return the finished package with the apostille and translation by mail — no need to come in person.
Family reunification is a clear sequence: the right body for the apostille by document type, translation from the already-apostilled original, and proof of kinship. Always confirm the exact requirements with the destination country's embassy, and entrust the document preparation to the Etalon bureau.
