What Are the Ways to Obtain Ukrainian Citizenship

The procedure depends on the specific basis. The Law of Ukraine “On Citizenship of Ukraine” provides for acquiring citizenship by birth, territorial origin, through naturalization, reinstatement, and other grounds established by law. The current version of the law can be checked on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

For the applicant, it is important first to determine the legal basis. The required documents, necessary residence period, and the authority making the decision depend on it.

Main options include:

• by birth;
• by territorial origin;
• through naturalization to Ukrainian citizenship;
• through reinstatement in citizenship;
• in connection with the citizenship of one or both parents;
• on other grounds directly provided by law.

More about the service itself and the possibility to get a consultation regarding the grounds for registration can be read in the “Ukrainian Citizenship” section on Poshuk.info.

Requirements for Naturalization to Ukrainian Citizenship

Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine “On Citizenship of Ukraine” sets general conditions for foreigners and stateless persons. In 2026, their list significantly differs from information found in older legal materials.

If no exceptions are established by law for the applicant’s category, the following requirements must be met:

1. Recognize and comply with the Constitution of Ukraine and the laws of Ukraine.
2. Confirm knowledge of the basics of the Constitution of Ukraine, Ukrainian history, and the required level of proficiency in the state language.
3. Reside continuously in Ukraine for the established period – generally the last 5 years.
4. Have an immigration permit if the law does not exempt the applicant from this requirement.
5. Confirm the availability of legal means of subsistence if no exception is provided for the specific category.

Legal means of subsistence may include salary, income from business or property, pension, scholarship, social benefits, alimony, savings, or lawful financial support from other persons.

What Does Continuous Residence Mean

The general rule is 5 years of permanent residence. At the same time, a single temporary departure abroad for private matters should not exceed 90 days, and the total duration of such departures within a year should be no more than 180 days.

Departure for education, treatment, rehabilitation, or official business trip with supporting documents does not necessarily violate the continuity requirement.

For obtaining permanent status of a foreigner, it is worth separately checking the rules for obtaining temporary or permanent residence permits in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Citizenship Through Marriage

Marriage to a citizen of Ukraine does not automatically mean receiving a passport. It can affect the residence duration requirement.

According to the rules effective in 2026, the five-year continuous residence requirement does not apply, in particular, to foreigners and stateless persons who have been married to a Ukrainian citizen for over 3 years. The law establishes additional exceptions for specific categories.

Therefore, common information in older publications about “2 years of marriage for citizenship” should no longer be used as a universal rule.

What Exams Need to Be Passed

The applicant generally confirms knowledge of the state language, the Constitution, and the history of Ukraine. For the Constitution and history, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a separate procedure for conducting exams.

The database contains 350 test questions:

• 160 questions on the basics of the Constitution of Ukraine;
• 190 questions on the history of Ukraine.

Each exam lasts 45 minutes. To pass, at least 15 tasks from the Constitution and 20 from history must be completed correctly. Certificates of successful completion of these exams are valid indefinitely.

The language proficiency exam in Ukrainian is conducted by the system of the National Commission on State Language Standards. In 2026, this requirement continues to apply to foreigners and stateless persons planning to acquire Ukrainian citizenship, except in cases provided by law.

What Documents Are Needed for Ukrainian Citizenship

There is no single package for all applicants. The list is formed according to the basis for acquiring citizenship and the person’s status.

In a typical situation, the following may be required:

• application of the established form;
• foreigner’s passport document;
• notarized translation of the passport into Ukrainian;
• document confirming legal stay or residence in Ukraine;
• documents on the continuous residence period;
• immigration permit, if required;
• documents evidencing legal sources of existence;
• documents about passing the exams prescribed by law;
• document regarding foreign citizenship according to the applicant’s status.

Foreign official documents generally require legalization or apostille unless an international treaty or law provides otherwise, and also translation into Ukrainian.

Is It Necessary to Renounce Other Citizenship

Following the changes in 2026, the answer depends on citizenship and the legal category of the applicant. Along with the application for naturalization, a declaration recognizing oneself as a citizen of Ukraine, an obligation to terminate foreign citizenship, a declaration of renunciation of it, or a declaration of absence of foreign citizenship may be submitted.

The simplified procedure applies for citizens of states included in the list determined by the Cabinet of Ministers with specific rules. Other foreigners may still have the obligation to terminate the relevant foreign citizenship within 2 years after acquiring Ukrainian citizenship.

How the Procedure of Obtaining Ukrainian Citizenship Occurs

For classic naturalization, the decision is made by the President of Ukraine. Prior to this, documents undergo administrative verification.

Main stages are as follows:

1. Determine the legal basis for acquiring or naturalizing citizenship.
2. Check the fulfillment of requirements regarding residence, immigration, income, and exams.
3. Prepare the application and the full package of supporting documents.
4. Submit documents to the territorial subdivision of the State Migration Service.
5. Undergo the legally prescribed checks.
6. Wait for the review of materials by competent authorities.
7. If naturalized – wait for the relevant decree of the President of Ukraine.

For persons legally staying in Ukraine, documents are submitted to the territorial subdivision of the SMS at the place of application. Detailed official conditions are published by the State Migration Service of Ukraine.

How Long Does the Citizenship Application Review Take

The duration depends on the basis and the applicant’s category. For cases of naturalization for which the President of Ukraine makes the decision, the SMS indicates separate processing times.

Main reference periods are as follows:

• up to 8 months – general processing time for SMS materials in cases where the decision is made by the President of Ukraine;
• up to 6 months – for applications for children, persons recognized as refugees or granted asylum, and stateless persons;
• generally up to 1 year – total review period for applications and submissions for naturalization without the need for additional processing;
• up to 9 months – for children, refugees, persons with asylum, and stateless persons in corresponding procedures.

These periods should not be confused with the residence period a person must fulfill before submitting documents. Five years of residence is the admission condition to the procedure for the general category, and the review period begins only after the application is accepted.

When Might Naturalization Be Denied

Even the formal presence of the necessary documents does not guarantee a positive decision. The law contains direct restrictions.

A person may not be admitted to citizenship, in particular, if they:

• have been convicted in Ukraine for a grave or especially grave crime until the sentence is expunged or removed, considering the threat to national security;
• have committed abroad acts qualifying as grave or especially grave crimes under the Criminal Code of Ukraine;
• by their unlawful actions create or have created a threat to the national security of Ukraine.

The law provides specific exceptions for certain categories, but they apply only under special conditions.

How Much Does Citizenship Processing Cost

According to the SMS, the processing and issuance of a certificate registering a person as a citizen of Ukraine costs 137.75 UAH. Processing and issuance of a temporary citizen certificate is not separately charged.

Expenses for translations, notarization, apostille, legalization of documents, and obtaining documents abroad depend on the specific case and are not included in this amount.