Housing Vouchers Up to 2 Million UAH for Veterans: How to Avoid Losing Funds and Buy Real Estate

The state continues to support Ukrainians forced to leave temporarily occupied territories. Citizens with combatant status (UBD) or war-related disabilities have the opportunity to receive up to 2 million hryvnias to purchase new housing. However, the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine emphasizes: the purchasing process has strict deadlines and rules you need to know in advance.

The "Contact a Notary" Status and the 60-Day Rule 

In early May, thousands of Ukrainians received funding confirmation in the "Diia" app along with a new housing voucher status — "contact a notary." This isn't just a formality, but a clear signal that the process is moving to the final purchasing stage.

This is exactly where the main risk lies: you only have 60 days to find an apartment and close the deal. If the applicant fails to meet this deadline, the reserved funds are canceled, and the approval procedure must be started from scratch. Of course, the voucher itself has a longer "lifespan" (up to 5 years), so the option to reapply remains available.

What Kind of Real Estate Can the Funds Be Spent On?

The state assistance can be used quite flexibly. The following options are available:

• Purchasing an apartment or a private house on both the primary and secondary real estate markets.

• Acquiring a share in a residential property.

• Investing in the construction of new housing.

Important: There is a little-known but highly useful tool — combining vouchers. If several family members have received funding, they can pool these amounts together to purchase a more spacious or higher-quality property. The main requirement for this is the synchronized processing of documents when signing the agreement.

Financial Conditions and Key Restrictions

For the transaction to be successful, the selected real estate and the seller must meet a specific set of rules:

• The housing must be located exclusively in Ukrainian-controlled territory.

• It is strictly prohibited to purchase property from close relatives.

• The property owner (seller) must have an open account in a state-owned bank.

A key nuance regarding payments: cash is never handed directly to the buyer. Funds are transferred straight to the seller's bank account, which minimizes any risk of fraudulent schemes.

If the cost of the selected housing exceeds the voucher limit, the buyer must pay the difference out of pocket. If cheaper real estate is purchased, the remaining funds are not paid out in cash but returned to the state program to finance other internally displaced persons.

Step-by-Step Purchasing Algorithm

Once the perfect property is found, the sequence of actions is as follows:

1. The buyer, together with the seller, applies to a notary for a comprehensive legal check of the property.

2. A sales agreement is concluded, which must specifically record the information regarding the use of the housing voucher.

3. The notary enters the data about the completed transaction into the state register.

4. The banking system automatically transfers the reserved funds to the real estate seller.