Ukrainians will be able to legally hold passports from several countries. The Verkhovna Rada has passed Bill No. 11469, which allows multiple citizenship for certain categories of citizens. The document was supported by 243 MPs and was initiated by the Office of the President.
From now on, Ukrainians who have automatically obtained citizenship of another country or have a foreign passport by right of birth or adoption are not required to renounce their Ukrainian citizenship. This rule does not apply to persons with citizenship of countries that do not recognise the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
According to the law, multiple citizenship is prohibited for passport holders of the following countries:
Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea (DPRK), Nicaragua, Sudan, Syria, Zimbabwe and Venezuela.
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Multiple citizenship is also not permitted for civil servants, judges and other persons whose activities are related to national security.
For foreigners, the changes only apply to representatives of so-called ‘friendly countries’ that support Ukraine and have imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation. The Cabinet of Ministers must approve a list of such countries within two months. Foreigners who want to obtain Ukrainian citizenship must be in Ukraine when submitting their documents and must pass exams in language, history and the Constitution.
A simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship is provided for representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora, foreigners serving in the Ukrainian army, and persons of special merit or public interest.
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President Volodymyr Zelensky called this law ‘an important step in maintaining ties with millions of Ukrainians abroad.’ According to official data, about 20 million of our compatriots live in different countries around the world.
However, the bill has also sparked a wave of criticism. Human rights activists, in particular the Helsinki Human Rights Union, are concerned about the provisions regarding Russian passports. According to them, in the occupied territories, obtaining Russian citizenship is often forced, which could be grounds for losing a Ukrainian passport.
The bill is currently awaiting the completion of parliamentary procedures. It will finally come into force after being signed by the president. This is expected to happen after the July sessions of the Verkhovna Rada.
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