Everything related to Ukrainian citizenship is specified in the Law on Citizenship of Ukraine, as well as in the Constitution of the country. The decision on whether to give a Russian or another foreigner the right to become a citizen of Ukraine is usually made by the President. The exact terms and required documents depend on each specific case.
Pros and cons of living in Ukraine as a citizen
Citizenship guarantees certain rights and imposes obligations. Among the rights: Ukraine protects citizens, gives them free education and medicine, and in return asks to adhere to the Constitution, know the Ukrainian language and contribute to the country's budget.
However, Ukraine is not in the best political and economic situation at the moment. Military operations are taking place in the east. Doing business is difficult, bribery is rampant. Allegedly free medicine and education rise to a decent level only for money. There are many jobs, but the salaries are low. And this is only part of the country's problems.
From the pros:
- There are many beautiful places and interesting sights in Ukraine;
- A fertile land where you can grow whatever your heart desires;
- Developed culture, friendly mentality;
- The ability to quickly and inexpensively get to Europe.
Law on Citizenship of Ukraine. Who can apply for citizenship
In September 2018, the Law on Citizenship of Ukraine received some changes. Now residents of different states can apply for citizenship, who:
- Lived in Ukraine for five or more years;
- Have been married to Ukrainians for two years or more;
- Have guardians who are Ukrainian citizens.
There are other grounds that are discussed in detail in international treaties. The President can say the exact decision only after reading the application and documents of each individual applicant for citizenship.
Who is prohibited by law from becoming a citizen
There is a law in Ukraine, which the migration service always adheres to. According to it, the country does not accept into the ranks of its citizens people who:
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- Have been involved in genocide or a crime against the human race;
- They have a criminal record under a particularly grave article;
- Have committed a crime on the territory of any other state, which the Ukrainian authorities consider to be grave.
The President has the right to refuse the opportunity to become a citizen without the listed reasons, but only in individual cases, and indicating serious reasons.
Methods for obtaining citizenship
There are many ways to obtain Ukrainian citizenship for residents of different countries. The Russian now has to go through the procedure with difficulties due to the situation that has erupted between the states. But little has changed since 2005, when the updated Citizenship Law came into force.
By birth
Every child born in Ukraine automatically receives an official birth certificate in this country. What state his parents are citizens of does not matter. The main thing is that they stay on the territory legally or as refugees, and also do not want to give their children the citizenship of the country of which they are officially residents.
A newborn child, whose parents are unknown, also automatically becomes Ukrainian from birth.
By origin
If you want to acquire a passport by origin, you need to submit documents confirming that the closest relatives were born or permanently lived in the country until August 24, 1991. If they still live in Ukraine, this will increase the chances of getting what they want.
A person born in the state after August 24, 1991 is registered by a close Ukrainian relative. For this, it is important for one of its legal representatives to create a special application.
Through marriage
Having a wife or husband with Ukrainian citizenship allows you to officially become a Ukrainian under a simplified system, in a shorter period of time. Marriage reduces the need to live in the country to two years. That is, by marrying or marrying a citizen of Ukraine, and after waiting two years, you can obtain citizenship without any problems.
It is important that the spouse can confirm that they lived in their native Ukraine before 1991. It is also mandatory to provide a marriage certificate.
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Resettlement
Refugees from Russia are granted the status of the same name and official asylum in Ukraine. Such people can legally stay in the country for up to three years from the moment of arrival or registration. They are not subject to the requirement to lose their own passport - they can keep it with them.
Other methods
The Law "On Citizenship of Ukraine" also has other grounds for obtaining the official status of a Ukrainian. Among them:
- Official restoration. It is possible if the person himself terminated the citizenship of Ukraine, but wishes to return it. Moreover, he permanently resides in the state;
- Acquiring status through adoption or guardianship. This is allowed in the case when at least one of the trustees or guardians is a citizen of Ukraine.
- Acknowledgment of paternity or maternity when the children are Ukrainian.
The child automatically receives citizenship when the birth takes place in the territory of the country, and one or both parents are its citizens.
Is dual citizenship possible
The Law of Ukraine clearly states that dual citizenship is strictly prohibited. To become a Ukrainian, it is important to sign a declaration in which a person makes a commitment to renounce his current citizenship in favor of Ukrainian.
This is given two years, during which you can officially terminate citizenship in another country. If this does not happen, the Ukrainian passport is withdrawn. However, such a rule periodically bypasses creative people and political figures pleasing to the President.
Video on the topic of dual citizenship:
The procedure for obtaining citizenship
The standard procedure sometimes takes decades, because it is difficult to get just one paper or wait for the President to make a decision. Therefore, a simplified regime for obtaining citizenship was created.
It allows you to gain the status of a Ukrainian in 30-120 days. The decision on this is drawn up not through the head of state, but directly at the migration service.
The list of documents for an expedited receipt of a Ukrainian passport should include:
- Proof of kinship with a person who has lived in Ukraine since 1990 and earlier;
- Birth certificate of a relative with Ukrainian roots;
- A marriage or birth certificate, and sometimes a change of name.
A simplified procedure for obtaining Ukrainian citizenship is available by origin, marriage or birth. It is also used by creative people, celebrities, politicians and other personalities pleasing to the country.
Necessary documents and requirements for them + other conditions
For each individual case, depending on the grounds for obtaining citizenship, there are packages of documents.
However, the standard papers that will be asked for sure are:
- International passport;
- Russian passport;
- Document about deregistration at the place of residence earlier;
- Files confirming the absence of debts in the payment of taxes or alimony in the Russian Federation;
- Birth certificate;
- Three photographs measuring 35 × 45 mm;
- Application for the termination of Russian citizenship. The form for this is issued at the consular section of the Russian Embassy in Kiev. It is desirable that at the same time other documents were already on hand;
- Check for payment of the state fee.
The conditions under which you can become a citizen of Ukraine include:
- Careful observance of the laws of the country, and most importantly - the Constitution;
- Living in the state for five years, and if a person is married, then for two years;
- Knowledge of the Ukrainian language at a high level (you need to pass an exam);
- The existence of a means of subsistence, which can be confirmed by specifying, for example, a bank account number;
- Authorization from the authorities for immigration.
The latter is not necessary in all cases. The need for each point regarding an individual person should be clarified with the Migration Service.
Where to apply when applying for citizenship? Step-by-step instruction
Citizenship registration almost always follows one scenario. By carefully adhering to them, you can reduce the waiting time to a minimum:
- Contact a notary (preferably) to get a list of documents required in a particular case;
- Submit a package of documents to the local migration service or the consulate of Ukraine;
- The papers are checked for compliance with Ukrainian legislation, which takes about two weeks;
- If everything is correct, the district migration service transfers the documentation to the regional migration office. Further - to consular offices and various diplomatic missions;
- Then you need to go through an interview at the SBU. An employee of this service should speak with the applicant. He writes out a document that says that the person has no criminal record, unpaid taxes, fines, alimony and other things;
- Then the case is transferred to a special commission, where the final decision will be made. It can be a commission of the Migration Service or under the President;
- The decision comes into force as soon as the corresponding decree is signed.
Cost and terms
Standard citizenship can be obtained on average per year. In some cases, the procedure takes longer. If at any stage it turns out that something was done wrong, there are not enough documents, you will have to deal with everything from scratch, returning to the very beginning. With a simplified scheme, the procedure takes from one to four months.
The official price of the state duty is different in each individual case. Worth cooking for this from 2,000 to 15,000 rubles.
There are private companies offering turnkey citizenship that can be done remotely. For this they charge from 3,000 to 15,000 dollars. It is worth noting that the scheme is illegal and this market is full of scammers. Better not to contact such firms.
Possible reasons for refusal and what to do in this case
For some reason, employees of the FMS (Federal Migration Service) may refuse to obtain citizenship. There are several reasons for this:
- The presence of administrative violations;
- Incorrect data;
- Fake documents;
- Conflict with the authorities of Ukraine or the home state;
- Criminal record in the homeland.
In some cases, it is enough to replace documents with actual and truthful ones, settle conflicts and close violations in the police. Only then can you try again to apply for citizenship.
The desire to become a citizen of Ukraine will be accepted by the President and the country with joy. However, this fact does not help to get the necessary documents faster. We'll have to wait at least a month, for good reason. Without them, the wait will last up to a year. The whole procedure is relatively inexpensive, if you do not contact private companies.
