Ukraine Citizenship by Descent — Dual Citizenship Now Legal (June 2025)
Ukraine's citizenship law underwent a landmark change on June 18, 2025: dual citizenship became legal for the first time in Ukraine's post-Soviet history, after President Zelensky signed the enabling legislation originally introduced in August 2024. This removes the historic barrier that had prevented millions of Ukrainian-heritage people abroad from reclaiming Ukrainian citizenship without risking their existing nationality. Ukraine offers citizenship by descent for children of Ukrainian parents, and the newly legal dual-citizenship framework makes this pathway newly accessible to the global diaspora estimated at 6–10 million people worldwide.
Current passport design
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Eligibility Overview
Ukrainian citizenship is transmitted automatically to children of Ukrainian citizens at birth. Additionally, persons born in Ukraine before 1991, and their children and grandchildren, can access a facilitated naturalization pathway based on territorial origin. Under the June 2025 dual-citizenship law, people who acquire Ukrainian citizenship no longer need to renounce their existing nationality, and Ukrainians who acquired foreign citizenship no longer lose their Ukrainian citizenship.
Key Requirements
- ✓At least one parent is or was a Ukrainian citizen
- ✓For territorial origin pathway: applicant, parent, or grandparent was born or permanently resided in Ukraine (while part of the USSR) before 1991
- ✓Dual citizenship permitted since June 2025 — no renunciation of existing nationality required
- ✓Application at the State Migration Service of Ukraine or a Ukrainian consulate abroad
- ✓Note: some consulates may still be working through implementation of the June 2025 law — confirm current procedure before applying
Documents You Will Need
- 1Applicant's birth certificate showing at least one Ukrainian parent
- 2Ukrainian parent's proof of Ukrainian citizenship (Ukrainian passport or internal passport)
- 3For territorial origin pathway: evidence of birth or permanent residency in Ukrainian territory before 1991 (Soviet-era internal passport, birth certificate, migration records)
- 4Marriage certificates as applicable
- 5Apostilles on all foreign documents
- 6Certified Ukrainian translations of all documents not in Ukrainian
- 7Applicant's current valid national passport
- 8Certificate of no criminal conviction from the applicant's country of residence
Expected Timeline
Standard descent registration at a consulate: 6–18 months (currently longer due to wartime consular disruptions and staffing constraints). Territorial origin facilitated naturalization: 12–24 months after submission. Ukrainian consular services worldwide have significant backlogs since 2022.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- ⚠️Historical dual-citizenship prohibition: prior to June 2025, Ukrainians who acquired foreign citizenship automatically lost Ukrainian citizenship; check whether your specific circumstances (when you or a parent acquired foreign citizenship) fall under the new rules
- ⚠️Wartime record access: Ukrainian civil records in conflict-affected regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Crimea) may be inaccessible or destroyed; document reconstruction procedures exist but are complex
- ⚠️Soviet-era archive access: pre-1991 civil records for some Ukrainian territories may be held in archives controlled by Russia (particularly for Crimea); access has been severely curtailed since 2014 and 2022
- ⚠️Consular backlogs: since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian consulates worldwide are under enormous pressure — expect processing times well beyond normal estimates
Official Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can qualify for Ukraine Citizenship by Descent — Dual Citizenship Now Legal (June 2025)?
Any person born to at least one Ukrainian citizen parent acquires Ukrainian citizenship at birth. Since June 2025, dual citizenship is legal in Ukraine, meaning Ukrainian-heritage people abroad no longer need to choose between their existing nationality and Ukrainian citizenship. A territorial origin pathway provides a facilitated route for people whose parent or grandparent was born or lived in Ukraine before 1991.
Which documents are required?
Your birth certificate showing a Ukrainian parent, the Ukrainian parent's proof of Ukrainian citizenship, and your current national passport. For the territorial origin pathway, evidence of the ancestor's birth or residence in Ukraine before 1991 (Soviet internal passport, birth certificate). All documents need apostilles and certified Ukrainian translations.
How long does the process take?
6–18 months for standard descent registration at a consulate (longer due to wartime consular backlogs). Facilitated naturalization via territorial origin: 12–24 months. As of 2025–26, Ukrainian consular services are under intense pressure worldwide.
Legal Basis
Ukrainian citizenship is governed by the Law of Ukraine on Ukrainian Citizenship (Law No. 2235-III of 2001, as amended). The June 2025 amendment legalizing dual citizenship was signed by President Zelensky following the bill's introduction in August 2024 and parliamentary passage. Prior to this amendment, Article 19 of the law provided that acquiring foreign citizenship meant automatic loss of Ukrainian citizenship. The territorial origin pathway is in Articles 9 and 10 of the law.
Dual Citizenship
As of June 2025, Ukraine fully permits dual and multiple citizenship. Ukrainians who acquire foreign nationality no longer lose Ukrainian citizenship, and foreign nationals of Ukrainian heritage can acquire Ukrainian citizenship without renouncing their existing nationality. This is a historic change — Ukraine was one of the last major European countries to prohibit dual citizenship, and the change was driven by the need to engage the global diaspora and ease wartime challenges.
Estimated Costs
Citizenship registration at the State Migration Service: approximately free to UAH 1,000 (approx. €25). Consular fees abroad: variable by country, typically €50–€150. Apostilles: €10–€40 per document. Certified Ukrainian translations: €40–€80 per document. Total: approximately €200–€600 for a standard descent claim.
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