Duplicate birth certificate and civil registry extract
A lost, damaged or outdated Ukrainian birth certificate is restored along one of two routes. If the civil-status record sits in the DRATS register, the office issues a repeat certificate — a new form covering the same record. If the record is older or was never digitised, the document is obtained from the state archive as an archival extract. Below is how each route works. Once the form is in hand, we add the Ministry of Justice apostille and the certified translation in one package.
- Repeat certificate via the civil registry, or an archival extract for older records
- Apostille and translation remotely, from scans — no travel needed
- Ministry of Justice apostille and translation in one package
- Soviet-era records go through the archive, and we say honestly when the odds are poor
We work remotely across Ukraine: the request is filed wherever the record is held, and the finished document goes out by Nova Poshta to any city or by international delivery abroad.
Repeat certificate or archival extract — which one you get
These are two different documents, and confusing them is the most common cause of refusals. A repeat certificate is issued by a civil registry (DRATS) office when the birth record is already in the State Register of Civil Status Acts: you receive a new form with the same legal force as the original. An archival extract is issued by the state archive when the record is older, was never digitised, or survives only in a paper book.
The rule of thumb is simple: the older the year of birth, the more likely the archival route. Soviet-era records almost always require an archive request first, and then the archive — not us — sets the timeline. Before filing, we check where your record is actually held, which is cheaper than collecting a refusal and starting over.
| Criterion | Repeat certificate | Archival extract |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Civil registry (DRATS) office | State archive |
| When it applies | Record is in the DRATS register | Record is older or not digitised |
| What you receive | A new certificate form | An extract from the archival record book |
| Soviet-era records | Usually not available | Most often the only route |
| Timing | Faster, depends on the office | Slower, set by the archive |
Who may request a duplicate, and what we need from you
A repeat birth certificate is issued to the person the record concerns, or — if they are under 18 — to a parent or guardian. A representative acting under a notarised power of attorney may also collect it — the usual route for anyone already abroad.
To locate the record you need the details of the event: the full name exactly as written in the civil-status record, the date and place of birth, and the parents’ details. A copy of the lost document is not required, but it speeds the search up considerably. If the surname changed after birth, tell us at the outset — otherwise the record will be searched under the wrong details.
What to do if you are already abroad
You do not need to travel. A notarised power of attorney is signed at a Ukrainian consulate or before a local notary with a subsequent apostille — we will advise which is simpler in your country — and the request is then filed in Ukraine by the representative.
Online services such as Diia also issue repeat certificates, but they require a Ukrainian phone number and a verified identity, and an electronic document is not always accepted where a paper form bearing an apostille is expected. If the document is destined for a foreign institution, a paper certificate with an apostille and a translation is the safer route — and that part is ours.
Apostille and translation: what comes next
A certificate obtained in Ukraine almost always needs legalisation before it works abroad. Civil registry documents are apostilled by the Ministry of Justice; for Hague Convention countries that is sufficient, while others require consular legalisation. After the apostille the document is translated — either with notarial certification or by a sworn translator, depending on what the receiving institution demands.
One thing worth knowing in advance: Ukraine has no sworn translators — a Ukrainian notary certifies only the authenticity of the translator’s signature. A sworn translation, where it is required, is produced by a translator in the destination country. We run the apostille and the translation as a single package, so you never have to coordinate several authorities yourself.
How we work
- 1You establish where the record is heldRecords in the DRATS register produce a repeat certificate; older or undigitised ones come from the state archive as an extract. The route sets the timeline.
- 2You obtain the formIn person at a DRATS office, through Diia, or through a representative under a notarised power of attorney — whichever suits where you are.
- 3You send us a scanWe quote the apostille and the translation, with the exact amount and turnaround, before any work starts.
- 4We apostille and translateThe Ministry of Justice apostille on the civil registry document, then a certified translation into the language of the destination country.
- 5We ship the finished packageNova Poshta anywhere in Ukraine, or international delivery abroad. Office in Kyiv, head office in Kharkiv.
Prices
- Apostille on a certificate (Ministry of Justice) state fee includedfrom UAH 950
- Notarised translation of the certificate notary tariff includedfrom UAH 250
Prices are indicative and start-from: the amount depends on whether the record is in the DRATS register, whether an archive request is needed, and on the translation language. The state fee is already included in the figures below, as are notary tariffs. We confirm the exact quote once we have checked your case.
FAQ
How do I restore a lost Ukrainian birth certificate?
If the civil-status record is in the DRATS register, you order a repeat certificate — a new form covering the same record. If the record is older or not digitised, the document comes from the state archive as an archival extract. We check which route applies and handle it under a power of attorney.
What is the difference between a repeat certificate and a duplicate?
They are the same thing: the official term is a repeat certificate, while "duplicate" is the everyday word. Legally it is a new form with the same force as the original, and the previous copy is treated as void once the repeat one is issued.
Can I get a duplicate without travelling to Ukraine?
Yes. The request is filed by a representative under a notarised power of attorney, which you sign at a Ukrainian consulate or before a local notary; some documents are also available through Diia. Once the form exists, we apostille it, translate it and send you the full package.
How long does restoring a birth certificate take?
Honestly, an exact timeline cannot be promised. A repeat certificate from a DRATS office is usually quicker, while archival and Soviet-era requests take noticeably longer because the archive sets the pace. We give an estimate once we have checked your case.
How much does a duplicate birth certificate cost?
The state fee for a repeat certificate is set by the state and is not ours to decide. The apostille and the certified translation each carry their own price in the list above; we confirm the exact quote once we have seen the document.
Will an electronic certificate from Diia do?
For use inside Ukraine, usually yes; for a foreign institution, often not — wherever an apostille is required, a paper form is needed. If the document is going abroad, ordering a paper certificate and apostilling it straight away is the safer route.
What if the record dates from the Soviet period?
Such records almost always require a request to the state archive first, and the archive sets the pace. The outcome depends on whether the record book survived — if it did not, we will say so plainly rather than string the process out.
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Updated: 2026-09-05