Close relatives and family members of persons missing under special circumstances can now receive free secondary legal aid.
This means that the state guarantees them free access to the services of lawyers or advocates to represent their interests, in particular in courts, and to draw up procedural documents. To receive them, you need to contact the free legal aid system. Secondary legal aid services will be provided in connection with the protection of the rights/interests of a family member/close relative and/or the rights/interests of a missing person.
Relevant changes to Law of Ukraine "On Free Legal Aid"« entered into force on July 4, 2025.
Who are close relatives and family members of persons missing under special circumstances?
The list is defined in the article 1 of the Law of Ukraine «On the Legal Status of Persons Missing in Special Circumstances». These include:
- husband, wife, father, mother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister;
- grandfather, grandmother, great-grandfather, great-grandmother, grandson, granddaughter, great-grandson, great-granddaughter, adoptive parent or adoptee, guardian or custodian, person under guardianship or care;
- persons who live together, are connected by a common life and have mutual rights and obligations, including persons who live together but are not married*.
*According to Article 21 of the Family Code of Ukraine, living together as a family of a woman and a man without marriage is not a basis for the emergence of marital rights and obligations. The acquisition of such rights and obligations is decided in court (clause 5 of part one of Article 315 of the Civil Procedure Code of Ukraine).
Why is this important?
Sometimes, to resolve issues related to the disappearance of a missing person under special circumstances, relatives need help in going to court. For example, questions may concern:
- Appealing decisions, actions or inaction of government bodies;
- Establishing facts that have legal significance: the fact of death, the fact of paternity of the missing;
- Establishing custody of a child of a missing person;
- Recognition of a person as missing under special circumstances by court decision;
- Declaring a person dead by court decision and others.
Previously, in such cases, relatives of missing persons could receive free assistance in applying to court if they belonged to a different category, such as an IDP, a person with a low income, a person with a disability, a war veteran, etc.
How to get free legal assistance
Legal advice
- call 0 800 213 103 (calls are free within Ukraine);
- write in private chat at Telegram or in private messages on the BPD provision system page at Facebook or Instagram.
Lawyers respond on weekdays.
Assistance with going to court
Contact us the nearest office legal aid and submit:
- an appeal (lawyers will help prepare it);
- passport or other identity document;
- taxpayer registration card registration number;
- a document confirming belonging to the appropriate category. This may be an extract from the Unified Register of Persons Missing in Special Circumstances;
- a document confirming family ties with the missing person (marriage certificate, birth certificate, paternity certificate, etc.).
The above list of documents is not exhaustive. You can also submit another document confirming belonging to the category. You can also apply for secondary legal aid online. You can clarify the details during a consultation with a lawyer.
All services of the BPD provision system: https://legalaid.gov.ua/kliyentam/yak-otrymaty-bpd/