Residence in Ukraine

How can a foreigner get Ukrainian citizenship?

Published 29 October 2026 · facts checked against the primary sources on 2026-10-29 · Ukraine For ALL, Kyiv

The Law on Citizenship of Ukraine lists several grounds: birth, territorial origin, naturalisation, restoration, adoption and guardianship (Art. 6). This page covers the two that most foreign adults use: naturalisation and territorial origin.

What are the conditions for naturalisation?

Article 9 of Law No. 2235-III sets five conditions:

The five-year residence rule does not apply to a foreigner married to a Ukrainian citizen for more than three years, to a widow or widower after more than three years of marriage, and to some former contract soldiers. A foreigner who already received an immigration permit as the spouse of a Ukrainian citizen is exempt from the three-year marriage requirement as well. Refugees and stateless persons count three years; foreign Ukrainians count one year from the immigration permit (Art. 9).

A child living in Ukraine whose parent or guardian has a permanent residence card is naturalised without conditions 2–5 (Art. 9).

How do the exams work?

The language exam is run by the National Commission on State Language Standards. For citizenship the required level is at least B1, set by the Commission's decision No. 31 of 24 June 2021. The certificate is issued for a score of 70% to 100% and is stored in the state register of certificates. The exam can be retaken without limit, at most once every four months.

The exam on the basics of the Constitution and the history of Ukraine follows Cabinet Resolution No. 620 of 30 May 2024; the language exam follows Resolution No. 409 of 14 April 2021 (both named by the State Migration Service on its citizenship page).

Military personnel, people with outstanding services to Ukraine and holders of permits under parts 20 and 24 of Article 4 of Law No. 3773-VI may file an undertaking to pass the exams instead of passing them first (Art. 9).

Can I keep my current citizenship?

It depends on your country. Law No. 4502-IX of 18 June 2025 introduced a simplified procedure for citizens of states listed by the Cabinet of Ministers. Such a person files a declaration that, in relations with Ukraine, they recognise themselves only as a Ukrainian citizen, and keeps their first citizenship. All Article 9 conditions still apply, including the exams (Law No. 2235-III, Art. 10-1).

The list in Cabinet Resolution No. 1412 of 5 November 2025 (version of 24 June 2026) contains 34 states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Citizens of other states file one of these documents with the application (Art. 9):

• an undertaking to give up the foreign citizenship, with proof of loss filed within two years of becoming a Ukrainian citizen (Art. 1);
• a declaration renouncing the foreign citizenship, available to listed groups such as refugees, contract soldiers and citizens of states whose law ends citizenship automatically on naturalisation elsewhere;
• a declaration of having no foreign citizenship, for stateless persons.

Citizens of a state that Parliament has recognised as an aggressor or occupier must undertake to give up that citizenship even if they hold another one from the list (Art. 10-1).

What is citizenship by territorial origin?

Article 8 gives the right to a person who, or whose parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, full or half sibling, child or grandchild, was born or lived permanently before 24 August 1991 on the territory that became Ukraine, or on other territories that belonged to the historical Ukrainian states listed in the article. Their children have the same right. The applicant still passes the Constitution, history and language exams. Residence in Ukraine and an immigration permit are not among the Article 8 conditions.

How is the application filed and decided?

1. Pass the exams and collect the certificates.
2. File the application in person with the DMS territorial office at your place of residence in Ukraine, or with a Ukrainian consulate if you live abroad (DMS citizenship page).
3. Attach the documents under paras. 61–71 of the Procedure approved by Presidential Decree No. 215/2001, including the declaration or undertaking on foreign citizenship and a certificate that you committed no grave crime abroad. Such certificates are valid for the term stated in them, or three months.
4. The application goes through the DMS and the Commission on Citizenship under the President. Citizenship is acquired on the date of the Presidential decree (Art. 9).
5. Collect the certificate of registration as a Ukrainian citizen and apply for a passport. People who undertook to give up another citizenship receive a temporary citizen's certificate first.

Who is refused?

Article 9 bars a person convicted in Ukraine of a grave or especially grave crime until the conviction is spent, a person who committed abroad an act that the Criminal Code of Ukraine treats as grave or especially grave, and a person whose unlawful actions threaten Ukraine's national security. If the documents do not prove the conditions, the DMS office issues a conclusion that the application cannot be granted. Citizenship decisions can be challenged in court (Art. 26).

FAQ

How many years do I need to live in Ukraine to apply?

Five years of continuous residence immediately before the application. The spouse of a Ukrainian citizen after more than three years of marriage is exempt from this condition (Law No. 2235-III, Art. 9).

Does marrying a Ukrainian give me citizenship?

Marriage does not change citizenship automatically (Art. 2(5)). It shortens the route: after more than three years of marriage the five-year residence rule no longer applies, and the other conditions remain.

What level of Ukrainian do I need?

At least B1, confirmed by a state certificate from the National Commission on State Language Standards. The 2026 exam fee for foreigners is UAH 9,984.

Can an American or a Canadian keep their passport?

Yes, since the US and Canada are on the Cabinet list of 34 states. The applicant files the declaration recognising themselves only as a Ukrainian citizen in relations with Ukraine and meets every Article 9 condition.

Do I need permanent residence first?

Yes, the immigration permit is one of the conditions; see permanent residence in Ukraine. Refugees, holders of permits under parts 20 and 24 of Article 4 of Law No. 3773-VI and some military categories are exempt.

How long does the whole process take?

The DMS stage of a file decided by the President is limited to 8 months, and naturalisation applications are, as a rule, decided within one year (DMS citizenship page). Exams and document collection come before that.