How to Arrange an Inheritance in Ukraine While Living Abroad

The administration of an inheritance always requires strict compliance with legal procedures and statutory deadlines. When the deceased or the heirs are located outside Ukraine, routine notarial procedures become significantly more complex due to numerous legal and procedural issues. A lack of knowledge of Ukrainian inheritance law, challenges with remote document processing, and the risk of missing the six-month inheritance acceptance period often result in the loss of inheritance rights or lengthy court proceedings. That is why professional legal assistance is the best guarantee that an inheritance will be completed correctly, efficiently, and with minimal involvement on your part.

Mr. Rybtsov, who had been living abroad for many years, contacted our law firm seeking legal assistance. His case required a comprehensive legal strategy due to several complex circumstances. His father passed away abroad, leaving a will in his favor. However, in addition to Mr. Rybtsov, the deceased's wife also had inheritance rights because she had reached retirement age by the time of her husband's death and was therefore entitled to a mandatory share of the estate regardless of the provisions of the will. Our lawyers prepared the application for acceptance of the inheritance and the power of attorney authorizing legal representation. Mr. Rybtsov signed these documents before a notary abroad and sent them to us. After receiving the originals, we initiated the inheritance proceedings before a Ukrainian notary.

Before the expiration of the six-month inheritance acceptance period following his father's death, our client's mother also passed away. Under Ukrainian law, her share of the estate was to pass equally to her two sons—Mr. Rybtsov and his brother Ivan, who also resides abroad. After obtaining the mother's death certificate, we assisted in opening a second inheritance case. The brothers agreed that Ivan would formally waive his inheritance rights in favor of Mr. Rybtsov.

To implement this arrangement, we prepared all the required legal documents for Ivan, organized their proper notarization abroad, and ensured their prompt delivery to Ukraine. Throughout the entire process, we maintained continuous communication with the notary, resolved all legal and procedural issues, and simultaneously managed both inheritance proceedings. After the statutory six-month period following the mother's death had expired, our lawyers, acting under the power of attorney, completed all required formalities and successfully obtained the certificates of inheritance in the name of Mr. Rybtsov. The client did not need to travel to Ukraine at any stage, as the entire inheritance process was completed on a turnkey basis.

Our Inheritance Center specializes in handling inheritance matters of any complexity. We provide comprehensive legal advice, analyze each client's legal situation, calculate inheritance shares, and assess potential legal risks. One of our key practice areas is the remote administration of inheritance matters for Ukrainian citizens living abroad, including the preparation of powers of attorney, inheritance applications, apostille services, and notarized translations.

We assume full responsibility for communication with both private and state notaries, obtain missing documents, official certificates, and title documents, and resolve complex issues involving mandatory inheritance shares and hereditary transmission. If a dispute arises, our lawyers provide comprehensive court representation, including restoration of missed inheritance deadlines and litigation concerning the invalidation of wills. Contact our legal team, and we will protect both your time and your inheritance rights.