Ukraine-Italy Social Security Agreement: What Actually Exists and How to Get Your Pension

You’ve probably heard that Ukraine and Poland have a bilateral social security agreement - Polish work years count toward your Ukrainian pension and vice versa. Portugal signed one back in 2009 too. So the question naturally comes up: does Italy have something similar? The short answer is no - and knowing this before you start filing paperwork will save you a lot of frustration.

Does a Ukraine-Italy Social Security Agreement Exist?¶

As of 2026, there is no bilateral social security agreement between Ukraine and Italy.

This isn’t a rumour or a temporary gap - it’s the official position of both governments, unchanged even after the large wave of Ukrainian migrants to Italy since 2022. INPS (Italy’s national social security institute) publishes the full list of countries with bilateral conventions. That list includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, the USA, Moldova, Turkey, Tunisia, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Ukraine is not on it.

Ukraine’s Pension Fund (PFU) confirms the same from its side: bilateral social security agreements exist with Poland (2012), Portugal (2009), Estonia (2010), Lithuania, Belgium, and Slovakia. Not Italy.

There have been multiple petitions on Ukraine’s presidential petition portal calling for this agreement to be signed - in 2020 and 2023. The demand is there, the treaty isn’t.

What “no agreement” means in practice: each country applies its own rules independently. There’s no totalization of insurance periods - you can’t combine Ukrainian and Italian work years to retire earlier or qualify for a bigger payment from either country. But that doesn’t mean you’re left with nothing. The mechanism is just different.

How Poland and Portugal Compare¶

To understand what you’re missing without the agreement, compare two scenarios.

Under Ukraine’s 2012 agreement with Poland: if you worked 12 years in Poland and 8 in Ukraine, both stazh periods are added together to determine whether you qualify for a pension. Then each country pays its proportional share - Poland pays for the 12 Polish years, PFU pays for the 8 Ukrainian years. This is the “pro-rata” formula. Even if Poland’s minimum stazh threshold is 20 years, your totalized 20 years gets you over the bar.

Portugal works the same way through the 2009 agreement.

Italy doesn’t. Each side calculates independently, no combining. But “separately” doesn’t mean “nothing” - it just means understanding which rules apply to each claim.

Getting an Italian Pension from INPS Without a Bilateral Agreement¶

The lack of an agreement doesn’t remove your right to Italian pension payments. If you officially worked in Italy and paid INPS contributions, you have a right to a pension under Italian law - regardless of your nationality and regardless of any bilateral treaty.

For Ukrainians specifically, INPS has a relevant program: “Trattamenti pensionistici ai lavoratori stranieri rimpatriati” (pension payments for foreign workers who have returned to their home country). This is the framework that applies to Ukrainians who worked in Italy officially and have since returned.

Damo Radu, the official Patronato ACLI partner in Ukraine that specialises in helping Ukrainians claim Italian pensions, puts it clearly:

There is no bilateral treaty between the two countries, but the legislation of each gives the right to receive its own pension. You can have both a Ukrainian pension from PFU and an Italian one from INPS - each separately, under each country’s rules.

Requirements to claim an INPS pension if you’ve returned to Ukraine:

• Age - at least 67 years (standard pensione di vecchiaia in Italy in 2026)
• Contributions paid to INPS (even a few weeks of official employment establish the right)
• You’ve deregistered from your Italian municipality - cancellazione anagrafica, the official process of removing yourself from the commune’s registry
• You’ve returned to your country of origin and are not receiving other Italian benefits (unemployment, social assistance)

Without a bilateral agreement, the INPS pension amount reflects only the years and contributions made in Italy. If you worked there for 8 years, you receive proportionally to 8 years, no more. But it’s paid in euros directly to a bank account in Ukraine.

One detail that catches people off guard: your name and surname across all documents must exactly match how they appear in your codice fiscale (Italian tax identification number). Even a minor transliteration difference - “Nataliya” vs “Nataliia” - can block payment or delay it by months. Check this before you start filing.

Counting Italian Work Years for Your Ukrainian Pension¶

There’s an option here too, though it’s less advantageous than what a bilateral agreement would offer.

Since 2024-2025, the Pension Fund of Ukraine can factor in foreign insurance stazh even without a bilateral agreement (updated rules confirmed by a KMU resolution). But the limitations matter:

What counts: years worked in Italy go into your “insurance stazh” - the total that determines whether you qualify for a pension at all. Ukraine’s minimum stazh threshold in 2026 is 33 years for women and 35 for men. If you have 28 Ukrainian years and 7 Italian ones, that’s 35 total, which meets the men’s threshold.

What doesn’t count: the actual size of your Ukrainian pension is calculated only from Ukrainian contributions. Italian years don’t increase the payment amount. You get exactly what accumulated in Ukraine.

As confirmed by TSN, the key document to prove Italian stazh to PFU is an official INPS extract:

• Estratto Conto Assicurativo - the contribution account statement. Shows all work years, employers, and contribution amounts
• Certificazione dei Contributi Versati - contribution payment certificate. Less detailed but also acceptable

Both are available through the myINPS portal or in person at an INPS office (requires SPID or CIE identification).

If your surname changed after your time in Italy (for example, you married after returning to Ukraine), you’ll also need to include a marriage certificate with a translation so PFU can connect both surnames.

Documents and Translation: What Goes Where¶

The document package depends on which claim you’re filing.

If claiming INPS pension (returned to Ukraine)¶

These are your Ukrainian documents that need to be translated into Italian for INPS:

In Italy, a translation only has legal force after asseverazione - the translator takes an oath before the court’s cancelliere that the translation is accurate. A notarial translation done in Ukraine is not recognised in Italy. For more on how asseverazione works, see our guide to translation legal force in Italy.

If counting Italian stazh for Ukrainian PFU pension¶

These are Italian documents that need to be translated into Ukrainian for PFU:

On the apostille question for INPS documents: technically, an INPS extract is an official government document, and PFU may require an apostille from Italy’s Ministry of Justice. Requirements vary by regional PFU office - confirm before submitting so you don’t have to send documents back.

Translation Formats: Asseverazione vs Notarial¶

These two get confused constantly, but for pension documents the difference is fundamental.

Notarially certified translation (for PFU, done in Ukraine) - a translator produces the translation, a notary certifies the translator’s signature. This is a standard service at any notarial-translation bureau in Ukraine. Cost: roughly 500-1,500 UAH per document (2-5 pages) depending on complexity.

Asseverazione (for INPS, done in Italy) - the translator takes an oath before a court that the translation is accurate. This is an entirely different procedure. A Ukrainian notarial translation carries no legal weight in Italy. If you’re in Ukraine and need to translate a document for INPS, you need a patronato that can arrange asseverazione remotely, or have it done through someone in Italy.

Practical tip: if the INPS document contains technical terminology - contribution codes, employment categories, contract types - use a translator experienced in social security and legal documents. A mistranslation of “anzianità contributiva” (insurance stazh) or “lavoratore dipendente” (employee) can result in a rejection or a request for clarification from PFU.

As blik.ua notes, if documents are missing, PFU can send a request through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to officially confirm your foreign stazh. But this process takes months - it’s better to submit a complete package from the start.

Step-by-Step Action Plan¶

Path 1: claiming INPS pension after returning to Ukraine

1. Check your Estratto Conto on myINPS - see how many contributions you have and for which years
2. Confirm you’re deregistered from your Italian commune (cancellazione anagrafica). If not, sort this out through the commune or the Ukrainian consulate
3. Gather documents: passport, Ukrainian residence certificate, euro bank account details
4. Contact Damo Radu - they’ll help file with INPS remotely and free of charge as a Patronato ACLI partner
5. Wait for INPS’s decision - 3 to 12 months depending on workload and document completeness

Path 2: counting Italian stazh for Ukrainian PFU pension

1. Order Estratto Conto Assicurativo from INPS online or in person
2. Find a translator in Ukraine for a notarially certified Ukrainian translation
3. Confirm with your local PFU office whether they require an apostille on the INPS document
4. Submit the package to PFU: online via the PFU e-services portal or in person at a regional office

FAQ¶

Is there a social security agreement between Ukraine and Italy?¶

No. As of 2026, there is no bilateral social security agreement. INPS confirms that Ukraine is not in the list of countries with bilateral conventions. Unlike Poland (2012), Portugal (2009), Estonia (2010), Belgium, Lithuania, and Slovakia.

Can I get an INPS pension after returning to Ukraine?¶

Yes, if you officially paid contributions to INPS. The lavoratori stranieri rimpatriati program covers your situation. Requirements: age 67, contributions paid in Italy, deregistered from the Italian commune. The pension amount reflects only your Italian work period.

Will Italian work years count toward my Ukrainian pension?¶

Partially. Italian years count toward your insurance stazh (determining whether you’re eligible for a pension), but the pension amount from PFU is calculated solely on Ukrainian contributions. You need an INPS extract with a notarially certified Ukrainian translation to submit to PFU.

Which INPS document do I need for PFU?¶

Request the Estratto Conto Assicurativo through myINPS or at an INPS office. It’s the contribution account statement showing all work years, employers, and contribution amounts - exactly what PFU needs to confirm your stazh.

How much does translating INPS documents cost in Ukraine?¶

A notarially certified translation of one document (2-5 pages) costs roughly 500-1,500 UAH depending on the bureau. If you need an apostille on the Italian original, Italy’s Ministry of Justice handles it - the process takes 1-4 weeks and costs approximately €16-50 depending on the number of pages.

Do I need an apostille on the INPS extract?¶

It depends on your regional PFU office - requirements aren’t uniform. Confirm in advance by phone or in person. If an apostille is required, it’s placed by Italy’s Ministero della Giustizia or the relevant prefecture.

What is a patronato and why should I use one?¶

A patronato is a free social assistance service that helps people file for benefits and pensions. Damo Radu (Patronato ACLI partner) helps Ukrainians claim INPS pensions remotely - without needing to return to Italy. The service is free, and the team speaks Ukrainian.

Can INPS reject my claim because there’s no bilateral agreement?¶

No. The absence of a bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Italy is not grounds for rejection. INPS rejects claims when the stazh is insufficient, the age requirement isn’t met, or the documents are incorrectly submitted. The lack of a bilateral agreement is not a rejection reason by itself.

Sources¶

• Pension Fund of Ukraine - International Agreements
• INPS - Extra-EU countries with bilateral agreements
• INPS - Trattamenti pensionistici ai lavoratori stranieri rimpatriati
• Damo Radu - Patronato ACLI
• TSN - How to confirm work experience abroad for Ukrainian pension
• Blik.ua - Foreign stazh and Ukrainian pension