Oleksandr Veits, PhD LL.M UA - registered consultant on Ukrainian and international law in Germany
A Ukrainian lawyer with more than 18 years of work experience, Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD) and Master of Laws (LL.M). I provide legal and practical assistance to citizens of Ukraine and other persons who need services on Ukrainian and international law abroad.
I provide offline and online consultations. I cooperate with lawyers, notaries, courts and institutions of Germany and Ukraine. My specialization covers a wide range of issues: from document retrieval in Ukraine and legalization of documents for foreign institutions to consultations on complex legal situations, tax, family and criminal cases, cooperation with German lawyers.
Author of explanatory materials, lecturer of online courses, founder of the website drveits.com and human rights initiatives in Germany.
I work accurately, legally and with respect for each client.
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Obtaining duplicates of civil status acts in Ukraine
If, for the purpose of processing documents abroad, you need to provide Ukrainian documents issued by the Civil Registry Office (ZAGS), but the originals have been lost or damaged, I will help you obtain duplicates. A duplicate is a reissued certificate or extract from the register of civil status acts,
which has the same legal force as the original. I will organize the retrieval of duplicate documents from Ukraine for the following civil status acts:
• Certificates: of birth, of marriage, of divorce, of
change of name, of death (issued by the Civil Registry Office departments).
• Extracts (extracts) from the Civil Registry Office register: confirming the fact of registration of the act (for example, a full or abbreviated extract of marriage, of birth, etc.).
• Archival certificates: official certificates from state archives or registers of registered events (used in special cases).
Important: Ukrainian legislation stipulates that only certain persons can request a duplicate of a particular certificate. For example, a birth certificate can be obtained by the person himself (if he is an adult) or his parents; a marriage certificate - only one of the spouses in a valid (undissolved) marriage; a death certificate - a close relative of the deceased upon confirmation of kinship, etc. We will advise and check the possibility of requesting the necessary document in your situation, and also ensure the preparation of the necessary powers of attorney and requests.
Required documents for requesting a duplicate: passport of the applicant (the person requesting the document) - internal Ukrainian passport (ID card) or international passport; a copy of the old certificate (if preserved); a document on the change of surname (if the surname was changed and this is related to the requested act); documents confirming family relations with the person for whom the act is requested (if necessary). In each case, the list of documents may differ slightly - we will provide detailed
consultation.
Terms of execution: the standard term for obtaining a duplicate of a certificate from the Civil Registry Office with subsequent affixing of an apostille is about 3-4 weeks. The time frame may vary depending on the workload of state bodies and circumstances (for example, holiday season, technical failures, situations in a specific region, etc.). In complex cases (lack of entry in the register, the need for restoration through the court, etc.) the term may be longer - we will immediately notify you of the expected terms after analyzing your situation.
Note: An apostille can be affixed only to the original document of the established sample issued by the competent authority. Laminated certificates of the old sample are not accepted for apostille and are considered damaged - in such cases, you must obtain a new duplicate. Also, if you have a document issued by a village council (before 2016) or in a currently occupied region, to use it abroad you almost always need to obtain a duplicate document through the Ukrainian Civil Registry Office. We will help you properly complete this process.
Certificates of no criminal record and driver's license (with apostille)
I provide assistance in obtaining important certificates from Ukraine required for submission abroad, namely: certificates of no criminal record and certificates confirming the issuance of a driver's license. Both of these certificates can be made with an apostille for their legal use in other countries.
Certificate of no criminal record (certificate of no criminal record). This certificate (an official extract from the register of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine) confirms that a person does not have an outstanding criminal record in the territory of Ukraine. The document is often required for immigration, residence permit, employment abroad, adoption and in other cases. We obtain such a certificate through the competent authorities without your personal presence.
Required data: a copy of the passport of the citizen of Ukraine, in whose name the certificate is requested
(only he/she can personally request a certificate about himself/herself);
Taxpayer registration number (RNOKPP, also known as TIN) - if available;
Registration address in Ukraine (propiska).
Citizens of Ukraine who provide only a foreign passport must also indicate their patronymic (as an additional identifier). For foreigners who have lived in Ukraine, a copy of their passport with a translation into Ukrainian is required (can be
electronically).
Age restrictions: a certificate of no criminal record is issued to persons aged 14 and older. The certificate is valid for 30–90 days
(depending on the institution where it is submitted). We recommend that it be issued no earlier than a month before the intended use.
Certificate of confirmation of driving license.
This certificate is issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and confirms the fact of issuing you a Ukrainian driver's license of a certain category, as well as its validity at the time of issuance. The document is required, for example, to exchange a Ukrainian driver's license for a foreign one (some countries require confirmation of the authenticity of national rights). We request such a certificate remotely on your behalf.
Required data: a copy of the applicant's passport;
RNOKPP;
registration address (if any); copy of the Ukrainian driver's license.
If some data is missing (no registration or TIN), it is possible to issue it without them - we will specify individually. The certificate is prepared on average in 2 weeks, and if an apostille is required - up to ~4 weeks.
Both certificates are issued in Ukrainian with the official seal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. At the client's request, after receipt, we will also provide apostille on the certificate, which adds about 1
week to the terms, and if necessary, we will help with a notarized translation into the desired language. The finished documents can be sent to you by courier service or in electronic form (scan with subsequent
sending of the original by mail).
Apostille on Ukrainian documents
Ukrainian official documents usually require additional certification for use abroad. An apostille is a special stamp of the Ministry that confirms the legal validity of a Ukrainian document for presentation in another country (in states that are parties to the Hague Convention). We provide services for apostille on any
Ukrainian documents.
We check your document, prepare it for legalization and submit it to the appropriate authority (Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education or Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, depending on the type of document) for apostille.
Apostille is possible for the following types of documents issued in Ukraine:
• Documents of the Civil Registry Office: certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, change of name, death; official extracts from the register of acts
of civil status.
• Educational documents: certificates and diplomas of secondary education, diplomas of higher educational institutions and supplements thereto, certificates of awarding academic degrees and titles.
• Notarial documents: notarized powers of attorney, statements, consents, transfers and other documents certified by a Ukrainian
notary.
• Court decisions and certificates from state bodies: decisions of Ukrainian courts, certificates of no criminal record, certificates of registration
of place of residence, etc.
I accompany the entire process of obtaining an apostille - from consulting whether it is needed in your case to receiving a document with an apostille in your hands. If necessary, the document can be translated into the required language (for example, German) at the same time, which is convenient for further use of the document in institutions in Germany and other
countries.
The time frame for affixing an apostille depends on the type of document: on average 1-2 weeks for civil registry and notarial documents, 2-4 weeks for education documents. We will inform you in advance of the expected time frame for your case and offer ways to expedite it if possible.
Legal support in Germany on Ukrainian and international
law (coordination with German lawyers)
I provide consulting services and legal support on Ukrainian and international law for clients in Germany. If you are faced with a legal problem related to Ukraine (whether it is family, property, migration issues or a criminal case), we will help you understand Ukrainian legislation, prepare the necessary documents and coordinate actions with German lawyers. Important: in accordance with § 10 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 RDG, I do not provide advice on German law and do not represent interests in German courts, but I work closely with licensed German lawyers, ensuring comprehensive support
for the client.
Our services in this area include:
• Ukrainian legal advice – clarification of Ukrainian law that is relevant to your situation abroad (e.g., marriage/divorce, inheritance, enforcement of Ukrainian court decisions, obtaining certificates and documents from Ukraine, etc.).
• Preparation of documents and applications – drafting of applications, motions, explanations in Ukrainian or with legal justification under Ukrainian/international law for submission to German authorities. For example, preparation of written explanations for a German court outlining the Ukrainian law that applies to the case.
• Interaction with German lawyers – assistance in providing the German lawyer with the necessary legal information regarding Ukrainian legislation that may affect the case; clarification of Ukrainian documents and realities; translation of legal terms and concepts between legal systems. Acting as a link so that the client and his German lawyer have a complete picture of the case.
• Criminal case support – support for Ukrainians who have become participants in a criminal trial in Germany (as suspects, accused, victims or witnesses). I help develop a legal position taking into account Ukrainian realities, explain how the process is going, what rights the client has, help collect characteristics, certificates from Ukraine, prepare questions for the translator, etc., and also coordinate work with a German defense attorney. Thanks to the combination of knowledge of Ukrainian, international and German law (in terms of procedural issues), I provide a comprehensive approach.
The client receives clear explanations in his native language and confidence that his interests are protected on both the Ukrainian and German legal sides.
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Drawing up powers of attorney for actions in Ukraine
For many situations when you are abroad, but you need to perform legal actions in Ukraine, the optimal solution is to draw up a power of attorney for a representative in Ukraine. I will prepare a power of attorney for you, taking into account all the requirements of Ukrainian and German legislation, so that your representative can legally perform the necessary actions on your behalf.
A power of attorney may be needed in a wide variety of cases.
Below is a list of common situations in which I help clients draw up powers of attorney:
• Real estate transactions: buying, selling, renting housing or land, registering ownership, negotiating real estate.
• Banking and financial transactions: managing bank accounts in Ukrainian banks, opening an account, receiving
statements, making payments, settling credit issues.
• Representation in courts and state bodies: conducting court cases in Ukraine (civil, administrative), representing your interests in government bodies, including obtaining certificates, certificates, submitting applications to the Civil Registry Office, migration services, tax authorities, etc.
• Inheritance cases and notarial actions: registration of the right to inheritance, submitting applications to a notary, obtaining a certificate of the right to inheritance, conducting cases of guardianship, trusteeship.
• Business delegation: managing the affairs of a company or a share of a business in Ukraine, concluding contracts, representation at general meetings, resolving issues with regulatory authorities.
• Receiving documents: receiving ready-made documents from state bodies of Ukraine (passport, international passport, identification code, certificates, diplomas, etc.), submitting and receiving documents from higher educational institutions, archives, medical institutions.
This is an incomplete list - a power of attorney can be issued for almost any legally significant fact. We will clarify your situation in detail and suggest the optimal format of the power of attorney (general or special, one-time), prepare the text in Ukrainian, after which you can have the document notarized. We will advise on a convenient method of notarization: a Ukrainian notary abroad (consulate) or a local notary + apostille, depending on the circumstances. As a result, you will receive a properly executed power of attorney, valid in Ukraine, which allows your authorized person to promptly resolve the necessary issues without your personal presence.
Registration of international marriages in Ukraine
Are you planning to register a marriage with a foreign citizen in Ukraine? We offer full support for the procedure for concluding an international marriage in Ukraine. This service includes assistance at all stages - from preparing documents to obtaining a marriage certificate of the established sample and its legalization.
How we help: we advise on what documents must be provided by a Ukrainian citizen and a foreigner (passports, birth certificates, certificates of marital status or marital capacity, etc.), and in what form (notarized translation into Ukrainian, apostille on foreign documents if necessary). Next, our specialists help you submit an application to the Civil Registry Office in the selected city of Ukraine, coordinate the appointment of a date for marriage registration. If necessary -
we help in accelerating the procedure or submitting an application through a representative by power of attorney (if the law allows). After the ceremony, we receive an official marriage certificate and, if it is planned to be used abroad, we immediately organize the apostille on this certificate.
We will also provide services of notarized translation of the marriage certificate into
the required language.
You receive a valid Ukrainian marriage document, which will be recognized abroad after apostille and translation. Our support guarantees that the process will go smoothly, without bureaucratic complications, despite the presence of a foreign element. The service is especially relevant for couples where one of the spouses is a citizen of Ukraine and the other is a foreigner, or both are foreigners who wish to marry in Ukraine.
Correction and restoration of civil status records.
I provide legal assistance in special situations related to civil status acts (birth, marriage, divorce, name change, death), when standard receipt of the document is not enough. Here are some problematic cases in which you can count on us:
• Errors in certificates and registry entries. If an error is found in the issued certificate or act entry (a typo in the surname,
an incorrect date, etc.), we will prepare and submit all necessary documents for making corrections to the State Register of Civil Status Acts. After the correction, we will help you obtain a new, correct certificate.
• Registration in occupied territories. If the act (for example, birth or marriage) was registered in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine or issued by the so-called "departments" of unrecognized entities, the documents issued there are not officially recognized by other states. We will organize the procedure for re-registration of such an act through the Ukrainian Civil Registry Office in the controlled territory and obtaining a full-fledged Ukrainian certificate, which will be legal and recognized abroad.
• Lack of a civil registry entry. In some cases, old records (especially Soviet birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.) are missing from the modern electronic database of the Civil Registry Office. If you have an old certificate form in your hands, but the entry is missing from the register, we will help you enter this entry into the State Register. After that, you will receive a new certificate of the established sample.
• Civil registry acts issued in the Russian Federation. If a citizen of Ukraine has previously registered a marriage, the birth of a child, or a divorce in the territory of Russia or another foreign state and now needs Ukrainian confirmation of this fact, we will provide services for the official registration (restoration) of this act in Ukraine. As a result, the client will receive a Ukrainian certificate of the relevant event (marriage, birth, divorce), which is especially important for legal force in Ukraine and for international recognition.
• A child born abroad - obtaining a Ukrainian certificate. If your child was born outside Ukraine and you have
a foreign birth certificate, but you want to obtain a Ukrainian certificate (for example, to enter a patronymic or to simplify the registration of documents in Ukraine), we will assist in the registration of a Ukrainian birth certificate. This is especially important when the foreign document does not contain the data necessary for Ukraine (the child's patronymic, the mother's maiden name, etc.). We will advise on what documents are required (usually an apostilled foreign birth certificate and its translation), and will fully support the procedure for state registration of birth at the Ukrainian consulate or in Ukraine.
Confirmation of income and pensions: consultations on the preparation of Ukrainian certificates of income, pensions, extracts from registers, affidavits
with an apostille, verification and support of certificates for submission to German authorities (Jobcenter, Ausländerbehörde, ZAB, BAMF, etc.)
Legal translations and explanations of documents: translations of certificates, notarial and court documents from Ukrainian,
Russian, German, English, preparation of cover letters for translations, formatting according to the official requirements of German authorities
Preparation of legal statements, objections, letters and requests: to Amtsgericht, Familienkasse, Jobcenter, Krankenkasse, etc. Complaints
Genealogical research and immigration support based on
paragraphs 4 BVFG, 23 and 24 AufenthG
I have many years of experience in conducting comprehensive genealogical research using archives from Ukraine, Germany, Poland, the CIS countries and Eastern Europe. I work with both already collected family data and minimal initial information (surname, place of birth, years, ethnicity).
My services include: archival search of birth records, civil status records, church records; inquiries to state, regional and military archives; analysis and verification of found materials; compilation of a family tree indicating generations, dates, places of residence, nationality and religion; preparation of an archival certificate along the family line and a written explanation of origin, traditions and family history; confirmation of German origin or kinship with persons who
have the right to receive; translation of documents and registration in accordance with the requirements of German agencies.
Immigration support is provided on the following grounds: paragraph 4 BVFG - registration of late immigrant status (Spätaussiedler), paragraph 23 AufenthG - admission under the quota of federal states (family or humanitarian grounds), paragraph 24 AufenthG - temporary protection for citizens of Ukraine who arrived after February 24, 2022
I also provide assistance in filling out questionnaires, drawing up applications, preparing cover letters, consulting on interaction with BAMF, Ausländerbehörde, translation and notarization of documents.
Full remote work is possible. I personally support each stage.
Each of the listed cases requires an individual approach and knowledge of the specifics of Ukrainian and international legislation. Based on experience, I find the optimal solution so that you receive advice
and documents that have legal force, and can freely exercise your rights in the necessary jurisdictions.