Updating the physical identification of pensioners abroad and in the temporarily occupied territories
For many Ukrainians who remain in occupied territories because of the war or have been forced to leave the country, their pension remains their only source of income. Ukrainian legislation requires them to undergo annual physical identification.
At the end of September, the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU) began sending reminders about the need to complete this procedure. To continue receiving pension payments without interruption in 2027, physical identification must be completed by 31 December 2026.
Who needs to undergo identification
Annual identification is not required for all pensioners. The following categories must complete the procedure by 31 December 2026:
- pensioners and recipients of social insurance payments who temporarily reside abroad;
- pensioners and recipients of social insurance payments who reside in occupied territories.
Temporary residence abroad means staying outside Ukraine for at least 183 days during a calendar year or having temporary protection or refugee status in another country without obtaining permanent residence.
Important! If a person has left an occupied territory, currently resides in government-controlled territory and has transferred their pension payments to their new actual place of residence, they are not required to undergo physical identification every year.
How to undergo identification
People can choose the method that is most accessible to them:
- Through the Pension Fund's web portal using Diia.Signature
Identification can be completed remotely through the web portal of electronic services of the Pension Fund of Ukraine by signing in using Diia.Signature (Diia ID).
- Through a video call with a Pension Fund employee
Another remote option is video identification. To use this method, you must first submit a request through the Pension Fund's web portal or the PFU Contact Centre. At the agreed time, a Pension Fund employee conducts a video call during which the person presents an identity document and answers questions necessary to verify their identity. You can also schedule video identification through the PFU Contact Centre by calling 0 800 503 753, (044) 281-08-70 or (044) 281-08-71.
- In person in Ukraine
If a person is in government-controlled territory, they can complete the procedure at any Pension Fund service centre, regardless of their registered place of residence. Identification can also be completed through the authorised bank where the person receives the relevant payments.
- Through a Ukrainian consulate or embassy
Another option is available to people residing abroad. A Ukrainian diplomatic mission can issue a document confirming that the person is alive. This document, together with an application, must then be submitted to the relevant territorial office of the Pension Fund of Ukraine by post or through the PFU web portal.
How to check whether identification has already been completed
People who have already undergone identification earlier in 2026 do not need to repeat the procedure simply because they have received a reminder. They can check the result in their personal account on the Pension Fund's web portal using the "My Identification" service. This section displays the date of the most recent identification and the method used. The same information is also available in the Pension Fund mobile application. For example, if a person residing abroad successfully completed video identification in March 2026, they do not need to undergo it again in December. What matters is that their identity has already been verified during the current calendar year.
For people from occupied territories
It is important to note that physical identification for receiving pension payments in Ukraine and notifying the Pension Fund that a person does not receive a pension from the Russian Federation are two separate requirements.
People who reside in occupied territories or left these territories during the occupation must notify the PFU that they do not receive a pension or other social insurance payments from the Russian Federation.
This notification can be submitted:
- through a personal account on the PFU web portal;
- during video identification;
- in person at a Pension Fund service centre.
Important! If a person has already notified the Pension Fund that they do not receive payments from the Russian Federation, they do not need to submit the notification again every year. The PFU must be notified again if the circumstances change — for example, if the person begins receiving the relevant payments from Russian pension authorities.
Therefore, unlike physical identification, which must be completed annually, the notification confirming non-receipt of a pension from the Russian Federation is submitted only once and remains valid until the circumstances stated in it change.
What happens if identification is not completed by 31 December
If a person belongs to a category for which annual physical identification is mandatory but does not complete it by 31 December 2026, their pension or social insurance payments may be suspended. However, this does not mean that they lose their entitlement to a pension or other payments. Payments can be resumed after identification has been completed.
What you should do now
If you receive a Ukrainian pension or social insurance payments and are currently abroad or in occupied territory, do not postpone the necessary steps until the end of the year. Check the "My Notifications" and "My Identification" sections of your personal account on the web portal of the Pension Fund of Ukraine. The PFU has already begun sending notifications to people who must undergo identification in 2026. People who reside in occupied territories or left these territories during the occupation should also make sure they have submitted a notification to the PFU confirming that they do not receive a pension or other payments from the Russian Federation.
We have explained in detail how to submit this notification in our information article, “Confirmation of non-receipt of a pension from the Russian Federation: what pensioners need to know”.
