International Development Law Organization

New expedited marriage process for Ukrainians

Ukrainian citizens may now apply for same-day marriage under a new pilot project, thanks to efforts by the Ministry of Justice to remove bureaucratic obstacles and deregulate the marriage registration process.

The first three official marriage ceremonies under the new expedited process took place in Odessa on August 1. A fourth marriage ceremony took place at 2:00 a.m. to demonstrate the true ‘round-the-clock’ availability of these services. 

Governor Mikheil Saakashvili and Deputy Minister of Justice Giya Getsadze participated in the opening ceremony in Odessa to show support for the new same-day marriage process. Until now, Ukrainian civil marriage applications could take as long as one month.

IDLO assisted the Ministry of Justice in drafting the initial decree for the pilot project and continues to provide legal support for implementation of the expedited marriage process. This pilot project covers several cities, including Odessa, Kyiv, Lviv, as well as cities close to the frontline, such as Severodonetsk and Mariupol.

Image Description: 
Ukraine's first 'expedited' marriage