Ministry of Justice Provides Guidance on Enforcement of Court Decisions Concerning Foreign Nationals in Ukraine

In Ukraine, court decisions are subject to mandatory enforcement regardless of the debtor’s nationality. This applies to foreign citizens, stateless persons, and foreign legal entities.

The procedure for enforcing judgments against such individuals is defined in Article 77 of the Law of Ukraine "On Enforcement Proceedings". The state enforcement service or private bailiffs can initiate enforcement only if one of the following conditions is met:

• the debtor resides or is registered in Ukraine; or
• the debtor owns property in Ukraine, either individually or jointly with others.

If the debtor has neither a place of residence nor registered property in Ukraine, enforcement proceedings will not be initiated, and the court decision will not be accepted for enforcement.

The Law “On Enforcement Proceedings” grants bailiffs broad powers to recover debts. They may seize:

• funds, securities, corporate rights, intellectual property rights,
• and any other assets owned solely or jointly by the debtor, even if such assets are held by third parties.

They may also garnish wages, pensions, scholarships, or other income, seize items explicitly identified in the court decision, and prohibit the debtor from disposing of their assets or funds. In legally defined cases, other coercive measures may also apply.

If a foreign national or stateless person evades compliance with a Ukrainian court decision, the bailiff has the right to initiate additional restrictions. Specifically, they may apply to:

• the central executive authority responsible for migration policy, or
• the border protection authorities,

to request an entry ban or deportation of the individual.

These actions are carried out in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons” and serve as an additional enforcement mechanism.