"Starting May 18, men aged 18-60 who are temporarily abroad have the opportunity to apply for consular services," the Ukrainian foreign ministry was quoted as saying on Friday.
The law tightening draft rules comes into force on Saturday, including a new requirement for men abroad to have an up-to-date military document to apply for services such as having their passports renewed.
In April, Kyiv introduced the ban citing a need for a technical pause to align with legislation overhauling the rules governing army mobilization.
The suspension meant those rushing to get services beforehand were not able to file applications and receive their documents. The move sparked criticism from Ukrainians abroad and some lawmakers. Some serving in the military supported it as a fair move, though.
Hundreds of thousands of military-age Ukrainian men are living abroad, while the country faces an acute shortage of troops to help it defend itself against Russia's full-scale invasion.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba criticized men residing abroad for not helping the state to fight for its survival.
Meanwhile, Poland's Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz last month mentioned a possibility of Poland assisting Ukrainian authorities with this matter, although declining to provide any details.
He underscored his empathy for both the Ukrainian soldiers engaged in combat and Polish citizens "disturbed" by the presence of potential conscripts in civilian settings.
"I also understand the frustration of Poles who see young Ukrainians of draft age in hotels and cafés, while their counterparts fight on the front lines," Kosiniak-Kamysz said at the time.
Ukraine faces an acute shortage of troops, and has recently adopted a series of laws aimed at helping it call up fresh reinforcements and address the numerous cases of draft dodging, including illegally going abroad.
Some 4.3 million Ukrainians were living in European Union countries as of January 2024, of whom about 860,000 are adult men, the Eurostat database estimated.
Around half of Poles support returning draft-age Ukrainian men to their country's army, according to a recent survey.
(mo)
Source: Reuters