Fines up to 51 hryvnias for overdue passports: who needs to update their documents.

According to inkorr.com: The State Migration Service warns about the risks of penalties for untimely document updates. Owners of old-style passports may face fines if they do not comply with the established deadlines.

When to update the photo in the passport

Citizens with booklet passports must update their photo upon reaching the ages of 25 and 45. The law provides one month to comply with this requirement from the date of reaching the respective age.

Ignoring this deadline may lead to administrative liability, and the fine can be up to 51 hryvnias.

Is it necessary to replace a booklet passport with an ID card

The Migration Service emphasizes that the old-style passport has an indefinite status, so its mandatory replacement with an ID card is not obligatory. The document remains valid if the photos are updated on time.

However, there are circumstances that require a swap to an ID card:

• missing the one-month deadline for gluing a new photo
• damage, loss, or theft of the document
• change of personal information (surname, other details)

What penalties are imposed for violations

According to Article 197 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, the use of an invalid passport is punishable by:

• a warning for the first violation
• a fine of 17 to 51 hryvnias for repeated violations within a year

New deadlines for document processing

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to expedite procedures. Urgent production and exchange of passports now takes 7 working days instead of the previous 10.

As noted by the government representative in the Verkhovna Rada, Taras Melnychuk, the shortening of deadlines applies exclusively to urgent cases, including the exchange and restoration of lost or stolen documents. The procedure for initial processing remains unchanged.

Thus, citizens should be attentive to the deadlines for updating their documents to avoid unnecessary fines. At the same time, the simplification of passport processing procedures should make life easier for Ukrainians who face the need for urgent document exchanges.