This was the result of the work of the Coordination Centre for the Protection of Children’s Rights under Martial Law, chaired by Vice Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.

This issue was raised by the Coordination Centre in late February. The Vice Prime Minister said that orphans and children without parents should get free passports to travel abroad.

The National Social Service, in collaboration with regional military administrations and services for children, has identified the necessity for such passports.

The legal representatives of the children have commenced the preparation and submission of documentation to Ukrainian diplomatic missions abroad to obtain passports.

Such packages have already been prepared for children from institutions in Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk oblasts, as well as the city of Kyiv, who have relocated outside Ukraine as part of their institutions. Other regions are also working closely with diplomatic missions in the countries of residence of children to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Iryna Vereshchuk highlighted the necessity of studying the needs of children placed in family-based care abroad. This encompasses foster families, family-type children’s homes, and children under guardianship or custody.