How to Get Ukraine Citizenship

Person has been married to a citizen for 2 years. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except residency requirement).

Descent (born in country)

Person is born in Ukraine to a citizen.

Descent (born abroad)

Person is born abroad to a citizen.

Person is a minor born in Ukraine after 24 august 1991, and one of his or her legal guardians applies to register the child as a citizen. The requirement of renunciation of foreign citizenship applies for both adults and children falling under these regulations. Person is exempted from renunciation requirement if parent is a refugee, is undergoing military service in the armed forces of Ukraine, holds a residence permit ex Art. 4(20) Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons (i.e. military personnel), he/she is exempted from renunciation requirement, or if the person or their spouse was persecuted by an aggressor state.Consent is required if child is over 14.

Person is a minor and one of his or her parents is a citizen and applies for the child to acquire citizenship. Consent is required if child is over 14.

Person is a minor and at least one of the adopters is a citizen (citizenship is acquired when the court's decision about adoption comes into force and an application for citizenship is made). Or person is an adult and stateless, and at least one of the adopters is a citizen (citizenship is acquired when the court's decision about adoption comes into force and an application for citizenship is made). Consent is required if child is over 14.

Person was married to a citizen for at least 2 years, and the marriage ended due to death of the spouse. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except residency requirement).

Person is a former citizen, returns to settle in Ukraine, renounces his or her other citizenship(s), and has not committed any grave crimes. If the person did not acquire a foreign citizenship after having lost Ukrainian citizenship, citizenship is reacquired upon application regardless of whether the person resides in Ukraine, under the condition of not having committed any grave crimes. Citizenship cannot be reacquired if it was lost due to acquisition by fraud or non-renuncation or if one of the grounds for refusal of naturalisation ex Art. 9 part 5 of the Citizenship Law applies. No renunciation required if citizenship is lost on the basis of an international agreement. Declaration of renunciation suffices if person recognized as refugee, performs military service under a contract in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service or the National Guard of Ukraine, or if person is a citizenship of an aggressor state or occupying state and experienced persecution.

One of the person's parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, (half-)siblings, children or grandchildren were born or permanently resided before 24 August 1991 on the territory of what became Ukraine or on a number of other specified, historically significant territories. Such a person can be registered as a citizen upon request, if he or she is stateless or renounces any other foreign citizenship. The person's children will also be eligible for Ukrainian citizenship via this provision. No renunciation required if citizenship is lost on the basis of an international agreement. Person is exempted from renunciation requirement if he/she is a refugee, is undergoing military service in the armed forces of Ukraine, holds a residence permit ex Art. 4(20) Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons (i.e. military personnel), he/she is exempted from renunciation requirement, or if the person or their spouse was persecuted by an aggressor state. Citizenship cannot be reacquired if it was lost due to acquisition by fraud or non-renuncation or if one of the grounds for refusal of naturalisation ex Art. 9 part 5 of the Citizenship Law applies.

Person is a minor who resides in Ukraine, and one of his or her legal guardians resides legally in Ukraine and applies for the child to acquire citizenship. the rules for ordinary naturalisation conditions do not apply, except renunciation of citizenship of another country. Consent is required if child is over 14.

Person is a recognised refugee in Ukraine, has lived there for 3 years from the moment of receiving refugee status. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except residency requirement, means of subsistence and the requirement to have been permitted to immigrate to Ukraine). Instead of renouncing their foreign citizenship by contacting their governments, refugees are required to declare to the Ukrainian authorities that they renounce their other citizenship.

Foundlings

Person is a newborn infant found in Ukraine of unknown parentage.

Otherwise stateless (born in country)

Person is born to foreigners who legally reside in Ukraine, and person does not receive the citizenship of his or her parents by birth. Or person is born in Ukraine to stateless persons who reside legally in Ukraine (no need to prove that no other citizenship was acquired by birth). Or person is born to parents at least one of whom is a recognised refugee, and did not acquire any citizenship by birth, or acquired only the citizenship of the parent who is a refugee.

Stateless persons

Person has entered Ukraine as a stateless person, has lived there for 3 years, and declares not to have a foreign citizenship. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except residence requirement and renunciation of citizenship of another country).

Person has special merits to Ukraine or his/her naturalisation is in the state interests of the country. Other conditions: respect for the laws of Ukraine and renunciation of foreign citizenship.

Person is in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and was granted a state award. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except no residence requirement, immigration permit not required, no language requirement, no means of subsistence required, and proof of absence of another citizenship not required).

Person is in the Ukrainian Armed Forces or in the State Special Transport Service or the National Guard of Ukraine holds a residence permit ex Art. 4(20) Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons (i.e. military personnel). Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except residence requirement reduced to 3 years, immigration permit not required, no means of subsistence required, and proof of absence of another citizenship not required).