Restoring access to documents and rights as a path to freedom of movement

After leaving the temporarily occupied territory, Olha* found herself in Kharkiv. She planned to travel abroad but was unable to obtain a passport because the documents she had were not considered valid and her identity had not been confirmed. Olha sought legal assistance from the Сharitable organisation "Caritas Kharkiv".

To resolve the problem, the woman needed to go through the procedure for establishing her identity with the involvement of a witness. The difficulty was also that without a passport of a citizen of Ukraine (ID card), she could not even begin the process of obtaining a passport for travelling abroad.

Lawyer Andrii provided Olha with comprehensive support - from the first consultations to practical steps. In particular, he explained the procedure and legal requirements in simple terms, helped her collect the necessary documents, arranged for a witness to confirm her identity via videoconference, and supported the process until the result was achieved.

Thanks to this support, Olha was able to complete the identification procedure, obtain a passport of a citizen of Ukraine, and later a passport for travelling abroad. For the woman, restoration of her documents meant not only the possibility to move freely within Ukraine and beyond its borders, but also access to basic services and social support, as well as greater confidence in planning her future. This case shows how critically important access to documents is, especially for people who have left temporarily occupied territories. Without them, a person may find themselves in a state of uncertainty and restriction. However, timely legal assistance helps restore not only documents, but also access to rights, opportunities, and safety.

* The name has been changed to protect personal data.

Access to free legal aid in Kharkiv region became possible thanks to the partnership between the Charitable organisation "Caritas Kharkiv" and the Danish Refugee Council, with funding provided by the European Union.