East SOS Explains Housing Vouchers for IDPs: Who Can Apply and How

The Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine recently published official guidance on the launch of housing vouchers for internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the temporarily occupied territories (TOT).

On December 1, the first stage of the program began. Initially, only IDPs who simultaneously hold an IDP certificate and are either combatants or persons with disabilities due to war (military personnel only) are eligible to apply for a housing voucher worth UAH 2 million. The government plans to expand the program in the future to include other categories of people who were forced to relocate due to the war and whose homes are located in the temporarily occupied territories.

To help IDPs navigate the process, the East SOS team has prepared a practical guide detailing how to apply for a voucher, as well as instructions for obtaining and using it.

Key Points and Application Algorithm

1. What Is a Housing Voucher?

A housing voucher is an electronic payment document worth UAH 2,000,000, generated and stored in the State Register of Damaged and Destroyed Property.

The voucher may be used for:

• purchasing housing (an apartment, a house, or other residential premises);
• investing in or financing housing construction;
• purchasing a share in housing ownership;
• purchasing a land plot on which residential property is located;
• making a down payment on a mortgage loan;
• repaying an existing mortgage loan.

2. Who Can Apply at This Stage?

At the current stage, applications are open to internally displaced persons (IDPs) who simultaneously meet all of the following criteria:

• hold a valid IDP certificate indicating a place of residence in territory controlled by the Government of Ukraine;
• have the status of an IDP or a person with a disability as a result of the war (regardless of when this status was obtained);
• have confirmed prior residence in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) recorded in their IDP certificate.

Additional Conditions

• The family must not own housing in government-controlled territory (exceptions apply if the housing is mortgaged or located in an area of active hostilities);
• The family must not have received other state housing support and must not have an active application under the “eRecovery” program;
• Ownership of housing located in the temporarily occupied territories is not grounds for refusal to issue a housing voucher.

3. How to Apply

At this stage, applications can be submitted only via the Diia mobile application.

1. Update the Diia app to the latest version.
2. Open the “Services for IDPs” section and select “Housing Voucher Application.”
3. Confirm the family composition.
4. Obtain the spouse’s consent using the Diia.Signature service. Important: the consent must be confirmed within 36 hours; otherwise, the application will be automatically canceled.
5. Sign and submit the application.

After submission:

• The Ministry of Finance of Ukraine conducts an automatic verification of the application.
• A local commission at the applicant’s place of actual residence reviews the application within 30 days.

In the future, applications will also be accepted through Administrative Service Centers (ASCs) and notaries.

4. What Happens After Approval?

Once the application is approved:

• a housing voucher is generated in the State Register of Damaged and Destroyed Property;
• the voucher is valid for 5 years from the date of issuance;
• housing purchased using the voucher cannot be sold or re-registered for 5 years.

5. Use of the Housing Voucher

The housing voucher can be used only after actual payments are made. Currently, the government is finalizing technical preparations and securing the necessary funding. At this stage, the primary task for eligible applicants is to submit an application.

The launch of housing vouchers is the first systematic state-level step to support internally displaced persons who have lost their homes in the temporarily occupied territories. Currently, the program applies only to combatants and persons with war-related disabilities, but the government is working to expand eligibility to additional categories of IDPs. For now, it is essential to submit a correctly completed application, pass the verification process, and obtain a voucher. Once the payment mechanism is activated, beneficiaries will be able to use the funds.

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