Immigration & Residency

1. by birth;
2. by territorial origin;
3. due to the adoption of citizenship;
4. as a result of the restoration of citizenship;
5. due to adoption;
6. the consequence of the establishment of custody or guardianship over the child;
7. as a result of the establishment of guardianship over a person recognized by the court as legally incompetent;
8. in connection with the stay in the citizenship of Ukraine of one or both parents of the child;
9. due to the establishment of paternity;
10. on other grounds provided for by international treaties of Ukraine.

Here is the main list of reasons for acquiring citizenship, however, in addition to acts of national legislation, they can be established by international treaties.

Ukrainian citizenship according to the standard procedure

To obtain Ukrainian citizenship, it is not enough to have only grounds. So, acceptance of citizenship, in addition to the filing of an application by a person, implies the fulfillment of certain conditions, which, depending on individual conditions, include the availability of financial sources, knowledge of the state language, etc.

Accordingly, depending on the goals and grounds, the terms of registration of the new status also change. This is a standard procedure, and an expedited one. A distinctive feature of the first is that in this way citizenship is assigned by the Decree of the President of Ukraine, and the total period of such a process can be about 1.5 years.

The standard procedure is particularly complex but quite doable.

The procedure for applying to obtain citizenship of Ukraine

To obtain Ukrainian citizenship, a foreigner must:

• Apply the prescribed form;
• Confirm the absence of another citizenship;
• Good enough command of the Ukrainian language;
• To live continuously in Ukraine for 5 years (if there is a spouse who is a citizen of Ukraine, the mandatory period is 2 years);
• Have an immigration permit;
• Have a source of funds for your security.

Citizenship of Ukraine is granted by a special commission under the President, but a foreigner is officially considered Ukrainian only after the head of state personally issues a relevant decree. However, the legislation also provides conditions that do not give the right to individuals to obtain Ukrainian citizenship.

This includes the presence of an outstanding conviction, or it as such, for committing crimes in Ukraine, and especially grave misdemeanors on the territory of other states; The accusation of genocide and other atrocities against humanity.

Obtaining Ukrainian citizenship is a long and costly process that takes a lot of time and effort. To successfully resolve the issue, it is necessary to fulfill the conditions, correctly draw up an application, and also collect and provide a complete list of documents, which includes many papers.

Procedure for considering an application for citizenship of Ukraine

So, at the very first stage of the procedure, documents are submitted, necessarily including a citizenship application. The latter is provided personally by the applicant in writing, indicating the date of drawing up the paper and the original autograph of the applicant for Ukrainian citizenship (there may be changes and exceptions in this order, depending on specific conditions).

The general terms for consideration of applications are as follows:

• The bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs decide up to 8 months from the date of admission (in special cases – up to 6);
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consular offices, and diplomatic missions consider papers for a maximum of 8 months;
• The Commission under the President of Ukraine on Citizenship “thinks” up to 1 year (in certain cases – up to 9 months).

The decision on the issue of granting Ukrainian citizenship to foreigners is made personally by the President of Ukraine, after which a corresponding decree is issued. 

Further, the presidential decision is sent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which in turn transmit information to their structural unit at the place of residence of the applicant. The last instance within a week notifies the person in writing about the decision.

• Documents for registration of citizenship of Ukraine

• As already indicated, to start the procedure and obtain the citizenship of Ukraine, the applicant must submit the established package of documents and an application to the migration service. The list of papers depends on the grounds for obtaining citizenship. So, there is a basic checklist;
• Photo (5 pieces);
• Statement;
• Translation of a passport;
• Document confirming the right to obtain citizenship;
• Certificate of knowledge of the Ukrainian language;
• Financial statement;
• Police clearance certificate, etc.

In addition to the documents presented, the total list can reach over 20 papers. So, you may need a birth certificate (if Ukrainian citizenship is considered by territorial origin), a marriage certificate (if such a fact takes place in life), etc.