A guide for future pensioners who are planning to retire

When does one become entitled to an old‑age pension, and what determines eligibility?

The general conditions for entitlement to an old‑age pension are defined by Article 26 of the Law of Ukraine “On Compulsory State Pension Insurance”. The law stipulates that the right to an old‑age pension arises when reaching age 60, 63, or 65, depending on the amount of accumulated insurance record (insurance period).

So, to retire in 2025 after reaching the age of:

60 years, it is necessary to have at least 32 years of insurance record;
63 years – from 22 to 32 years of insurance record;
65 years – from 15 years of insurance record.

IMPORTANT: Starting from 2028, old-age pensions at 60 years will be granted to persons with 35 or more years of insurance record; 63 years – to persons with 25 to 35 years of insurance record; 65 years – to persons with 15 to 25 years of insurance record. The minimum required insurance record for entitlement to a pension at age 65 - 15 years.

Examples of applying insurance record for retirement:

A man turns 60 on 01.02.2025. As of that date, he has 31 years and 6 months of insurance record. The required insurance record is 32 years. The man is employed. He will be able to apply for a pension only after acquiring 32 years of insurance record either by continuing work or by purchasing 6 months of insurance record according to the established procedure. The pension will be granted from the date of application.
A man turns 60 on 01.02.2025. As of that date, he has 32 years of insurance record. The required insurance record is 32 years. The man is not employed. He can apply for a pension from 02.02.2025 to 30.04.2025 inclusive. The pension will be granted from 02.02.2025. If he applies after 30.04.2025, the pension will be granted from the date of submission of the application and required documents.

Can an old-age pension be granted before reaching the age of 60?

Yes. Certain categories may be granted old-age pensions before reaching the age of 60:

● Under preferential conditions – for persons who worked in jobs with especially hazardous and especially difficult working conditions, and in other jobs with hazardous or difficult conditions, or in specific industries. More details are available at the provided link;

● Early retirement – for persons with special status, in particular: mothers of many children, mothers of children with disabilities since childhood, combat veterans and family members of the deceased, individuals dismissed from employment with no more than 1.5 years remaining until retirement age. More details are available at the provided link;

● With reduced pension age – for participants in liquidation and victims of the Chornobyl disaster. More details are available at the provided link.

When should one contact the Pension Fund of Ukraine to apply for an old-age pension?

To ensure that the pension is granted from the date of reaching pension age, one should apply to the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU) immediately after the birthday. However, it is also allowed to apply one month before reaching retirement age or no later than 3 months after the date of reaching entitlement. More details are available at the provided link.

If you are uncertain about the documents to be submitted, it is advisable to contact any PFU department in advance, where specialists will provide consultation, and the future pensioner will have the opportunity to collect and properly prepare the required documents. From the moment of gaining the right to a pension, a three-month period is provided for gathering and submitting the documents for pension processing. If this period is met, the pension is granted from the date of entitlement.

What is the minimum insurance record required for granting an old-age pension?

The insurance record requirement increases every year until 2028. As of: 1 January 2025 – 32 years; 1 January 2026 – 33 years; 1 January 2027 – 34 years; 1 January 2028 – 35 years.

IMPORTANT: From 1 January 2028, if a person has 40 or more years of insurance record, the pension will be granted regardless of age.

What are the consequences of applying for a pension after the three-month deadline?

If the time limit is missed, the pension will be granted not from the date of entitlement, but from the date of application.

What are the main documents required to apply for an old-age pension?

If a person is retiring due to age, the following documents are required:

Passport or ID card of a citizen of Ukraine;
Taxpayer registration card number (except for individuals who refuse it on religious grounds and have a corresponding note in the passport);
Document confirming place of residence/registration;
Marriage certificate (if applicable);
Employment record book or documents confirming insurance record (e.g. diploma, other documents confirming full-time studies before 01.01.2004; military service certificate or military ID; birth certificate of children);
If desired, and subject to primary documents, a salary certificate for any 60 consecutive months prior to 30.06.2000 (regardless of breaks);
Document confirming special status (e.g. combatant ID);
If applying under privileged conditions under Lists No. 1 or No. 2 – a certificate confirming the hazardous nature of the job;
Certificate of enterprise renaming (if necessary);
Application and bank account number for pension payments;
For issuance of a pension certificate – a color photo (3x2.5 cm) or request for an electronic pension certificate. Instructions on how to submit such request via the PFU portal are available at the provided link.

This list is not exhaustive. Other documents may be required depending on the situation, to confirm employment, insurance record, salary, job nature, etc.

Where and how can one apply for an old-age pension?

You can apply for a pension in several ways, using the method that is most convenient for you:

1. Applying in person (offline).

You need to visit any Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU) service center, regardless of your place of residence, and submit the originals of the documents listed above.

2. Applying electronically (online).

You can apply through the official web portal of the Pension Fund of Ukraine, more details here, or via the Diia portal, more details here, using a qualified electronic signature (QES).

3. Automatic pension assignment.

The PFU offers the service "Automatic pension assignment" for future pensioners.

To submit the necessary information in advance, follow these steps:

Register in your personal account on the PFU web portal using your qualified electronic signature (QES). In the section "Communication with PFU", go to "Application form for automatic pension assignment". You will see a notification with instructions and necessary steps before completing the application.
Fill out the Application form for automatic pension assignment. Some fields are auto-filled based on available data; others must be filled in manually (e.g., method of pension payment, request for a pension certificate).
Attach scanned documents confirming your employment record, personal identity, and any other documents that support eligibility for supplements or benefits.
Sign the form with your QES.
Send the form to the PFU.

IMPORTANT: You do not need to visit the PFU in person. The pension will be assigned automatically once you reach pension age. This service is only available via the PFU web portal with a QES .You will receive an SMS notification or a message in your personal account once the pension is assigned.

You will be informed about:

pension assignment;
the effective date of the pension;
the pension amount.

IMPORTANT: When submitting an application and documents online, make sure to scan everything in advance and have a valid QES.

How can insurance record be confirmed if there is no entry in the employment record book for a specific job before 01.01.2004?

If there is no employment record book or it lacks the relevant entries, the insurance record is established based on data from the Register of Insured Persons of the State Register of Compulsory State Social Insurance, or other documents issued by the employer, educational institution, military authorities, or archives. To confirm employment, acceptable documents include certificates, excerpts from orders, personal accounts, payroll sheets, IDs, references, written employment contracts and agreements with execution notes, and other documents containing information about work periods. Witness testimony may also be used in some cases.

Who keeps track of the insurance record?

The insurance record is calculated by the Pension Fund of Ukraine based on the data contained in the Register of Insured Persons. For periods prior to the implementation of the register, data are confirmed based on documents in accordance with the legislation in force at that time.

What if a person has insufficient insurance record?

In this case, pension entitlement is possible by completing the missing record period through employment or purchasing the missing insurance record. A voluntary insurance agreement for participation in the compulsory state pension insurance system can be concluded and signed online. More details here.

What to do if the PFU refuses to grant a pension?

If the PFU refuses to grant a pension application, its decision can be appealed. First, a complaint can be filed with a higher-level PFU authority, and then, if necessary, an administrative lawsuit can be filed in court.

Appeal stages:

1)Appeal to a higher-level PFU authority:

The refusal decision can be appealed within one month from the date you became aware of it. More on the appeal procedure here.
The deadline may be restored if there are valid reasons.
The appeal must be submitted in written form.

2)Appeal to the court:

If the appeal to the PFU authority was unsuccessful, or if you prefer, you may submit an administrative claim to the court.
The claim is submitted to the administrative court based on the location of the PFU or your residence.
The deadline for court appeal is 6 months from the date of learning about the rights violation (usually from the date of refusal).
The court may annul the PFU’s decision and require it to adopt a new one or perform other actions.

What are the methods of receiving a pension?

By opening an account in authorized banks for pension payments. List of banks available here. If choosing non-cash payment, make sure to open a pension account.
Through Ukrposhta (state postal service).

If you require legal consultation or assistance with your pension application, you can book an online consultation with a lawyer here.

This informational material was created within the framework of a project implemented by Charitable Foundation “Caritas Kharkiv” in cooperation with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and funded by the European Union’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the DRC. Neither the European Commission nor the DRC can be held responsible for the content of this material.