After leaving temporarily occupied territories, you can lose your pension — without mandatory identification, payments will not be made
Pensioners who have left temporarily occupied territories, are abroad, or live in the TOT risk suspension of payments if they do not undergo mandatory identification. The Pension Fund of Ukraine reminds that certain categories of citizens are required to confirm their identity annually, and failure to do so may be grounds for temporary suspension of the pension. At the same time, the right to payments is not lost — after completing the procedure, the pension can be restored along with accrued arrears. We explain who the identification concerns, how to complete it, and what to do if payments have already been stopped.
Who is subject to mandatory identification
This primarily concerns citizens who are abroad, in temporarily occupied territories, or left them during the occupation. If identification is not completed within the established deadlines, payments may be suspended but can be restored after completing the required procedures.
The Pension Fund emphasizes that the annual identification requirement applies not to all pensioners but only to certain categories of recipients: persons permanently or temporarily residing outside Ukraine; citizens in temporarily occupied territories; persons who left to Ukrainian-controlled territory during the occupation; recipients of pension or insurance payments who need to confirm their identity or the fact of being alive.
The purpose of the procedure is to confirm that the payments are received by the person to whom they are intended, as well as to prevent fraud and duplication of social payments.
How the mechanism works in 2026
The general approach in 2026 remains unchanged: pension payments are made subject to annual physical identification by December 31. Failure to meet this requirement may result in temporary suspension of payments. However, after identification, accruals are usually restored from the date of suspension, including arrears.
In addition to identification, certain categories of citizens (including those from TOT) have an additional requirement — to submit a notification of non-receipt of a pension from the Russian Federation.
Ways to complete identification
The Pension Fund has provided several options for identity confirmation to make the procedure accessible even in difficult life circumstances.
- Online via "Diia.Sign"
The fastest way is authorization in the PFU personal account using a qualified electronic signature or "Diia.Sign." After logging in, the user undergoes automated verification.
- Video identification
A pensioner can apply for a video conference with a PFU employee. During the session, it is necessary to present a passport or other document; answer clarifying questions; confirm current personal data.
- Personal visit
The classic method is visiting a PFU service center or an authorized bank. The procedure is conducted upon presentation of an identity document.
- For persons abroad
Citizens can contact Ukrainian consular institutions to obtain a document confirming they are alive. This document, together with an application, is then sent to the PFU or submitted through electronic services.
What happens if identification is missed
If identification is not completed within the established period, the Pension Fund has the right to temporarily suspend payments. However, this does not mean losing the right to a pension. After completing the procedure: payments are resumed; the amount for the entire delay period is accrued; the pension case is restored without the need for a new appointment of payments.
In fact, identification is a technical condition for the continuity of payments, not a reason for their cancellation.
How to restore payments after suspension
If payments were suspended, the algorithm of actions is as follows: undergo physical identification by any available method; submit an application for payment restoration (if necessary); confirm non-receipt of a pension from another state (for certain categories); wait for automatic resumption of accruals. In most cases, payments are restored after successful identification without additional requests.
What changes for citizens: before/after
BEFORE - lack of a single clear annual identity confirmation mechanism for all categories; limited identification methods; complicated procedures for citizens abroad; often lengthy payment restoration after suspension. AFTER - introduction of a systematic annual identification by December 31; expanded online tools (Diia.Sign, video communication);
alternative mechanisms provided for persons abroad; payments after identification are automatically restored with compensation for the delay period; strengthened control over receiving duplicate social payments.
Thus, we can note that the mechanism of mandatory annual identification for certain categories of pensioners introduced in 2026 has effectively become one of the key tools for controlling the payment of state pensions under martial law, population displacement, and loss of access to parts of Ukraine's territory.
On one hand, the state strengthens verification of payment recipients, which is explained by the need to minimize risks of fraud, duplication of pension cases and payments to persons who actually have no right to them or are already under the jurisdiction of another state. In this context, annual identity confirmation appears as a logical step towards digitalization and streamlining social expenditures.
On the other hand, for citizens themselves — especially those who left temporarily occupied territories or are abroad — the new requirements remain an additional administrative barrier. Despite the expansion of online tools and the possibility of video identification, in practice the procedure may cause difficulties for the most vulnerable categories of pensioners: elderly people, persons without access to digital services, or those who do not have stable communication with Ukrainian institutions.
At the same time, it is important that the legislator does not permanently deprive the right to a pension in case of missed identification. It is only about temporary suspension of payments, which can be fully restored after completing the procedure. This allows maintaining a balance between the state's fiscal discipline and social guarantees for citizens.
Thus, the 2026 model can be characterized as transitional: the state is gradually moving towards a stricter control system and digital verification, while trying to maintain service accessibility for the most vulnerable population groups. Further development of this system will likely depend on how effectively it is possible to combine payment control with citizens' real ability to meet established requirements without risking loss of social protection.
Recall that earlier the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper" reported on how to confirm years of work abroad and obtain the right to a pension.
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