Advantages of Working with Prikhodko & Partners
Among the advantages we provide to our clients are:
- deep sector-specific expertise, as our lawyers have detailed knowledge of migration legislation and many years of practical experience in handling cases of any complexity;
- individual solutions for each client, as we do not work according to templates but develop a personalized strategy based on your life circumstances and available documents;
- clear contractual terms, where interaction with the client is based on a transparent legal services agreement that sets out all obligations, stages, and financial terms.
We fully handle communication with state authorities, monitor the lawfulness of their actions, and protect your rights at every stage of the procedure.
Grounds for Acquiring Ukrainian Citizenship
Current Ukrainian citizenship legislation provides a clearly defined list of grounds on which a foreign national may apply for a Ukrainian passport. The main and most common grounds include:
- Territorial origin as a ground for citizenship. This ground applies to persons who themselves, or at least one of their close relatives (parents, grandfather, grandmother, full brother or sister, son or daughter, grandchildren), permanently resided or were born in territories that became part of Ukraine. Ukrainian citizenship by descent is considered one of the fastest routes.
- Acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship through marriage. Foreign nationals who have been officially married to a Ukrainian citizen for more than two years have the legal right to submit an application. The marriage must be genuine rather than fictitious, which is carefully verified by the relevant state authorities.
- Recognition as a refugee in Ukraine or the granting of asylum. Persons who have been officially recognized as refugees in Ukraine are entitled to a simplified and accelerated procedure for acquiring the relevant legal status.
- Ukrainian citizenship for investors. Making significant financial investments in the economy of Ukraine in the form of freely convertible foreign currency may serve as an official ground for obtaining an immigration permit, which may subsequently open the way to acquiring Ukrainian citizenship.
- Family reunification as a ground for acquiring citizenship. This ground covers cases where close relatives already hold Ukrainian citizenship, allowing other family members to go through the procedure under a simplified framework.
A simplified path may also be available to persons who have rendered special services to Ukraine.
Documents Required for Filing an Application
To initiate the procedure, the applicant must prepare a complete and legally compliant package of documents. Any mistake, inaccuracy, or missing certificate may result in the application being returned without consideration. When preparing documents for the acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship, the standard list generally includes:
- an application form of the established format in two copies (completed exclusively in Ukrainian);
- the applicant’s passport details (the original and copies of all pages of the foreign passport or another identity document);
- translated and legalized documents attached to the application, since all documents issued by foreign states must be translated into Ukrainian (the translation must be notarized, while the documents must bear an apostille or undergo full consular legalization);
- documents confirming the specific ground for acquiring citizenship (these may include relatives’ birth certificates, a marriage certificate and the passport of the spouse, a decision granting refugee status, documents confirming registered investments, etc.);
- a certificate confirming the absence of a criminal record in the country of origin and in Ukraine;
- a document confirming the level of proficiency in the state language (certificate), except for categories of persons exempt from this requirement by law;
An obligation to terminate foreign citizenship must also be provided, since Ukraine does not officially recognize dual citizenship status, and the applicant must confirm their intention to renounce the citizenship of another country.
Application Review Procedure
The procedure begins with the submission of the application and an initial review. Many applicants are interested in where to obtain Ukrainian citizenship. The applicant personally submits the prepared package of documents to the territorial office of the State Migration Service of Ukraine (SMS) at the place of their actual and lawful residence.
This is followed by checks conducted by the relevant authorities. The Migration Service sends requests to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the National Police, Interpol, and other authorities to verify that the person does not pose a threat to national security or public order and to confirm the authenticity of the submitted documents.
After all inter-agency checks have been successfully completed, the case materials are forwarded for consideration by the Commission on Citizenship under the President of Ukraine. Acquisition of citizenship is formalized by the relevant Decree of the President of Ukraine. On the basis of this decree, the State Migration Service issues the person a certificate confirming registration as a citizen of Ukraine, which serves as the basis for completing the citizenship procedure and obtaining the first Ukrainian passport (ID card).
Specific Features for Different Categories of Applicants
The conditions and duration of the procedure directly depend on the chosen legal route and the applicant’s individual status:
- For investors, the procedure is closely connected with confirming the lawful origin of the capital. It is necessary to provide detailed evidence of banking transactions and agreements and to confirm the actual transfer of funds to Ukrainian accounts. Special rules may apply to the review of investment-related grounds.
- Refugees may not be required to provide certain documents from their country of origin, for example, a criminal record certificate that cannot be obtained for security reasons. Certain residence-related and documentary requirements may also be simplified for this category.
- For persons acquiring citizenship through marriage, interviews and checks by the State Migration Service may be required in order to rule out a fictitious marriage. An important step is also the legalization of the foreign national’s stay in Ukraine and documentary confirmation of the circumstances relevant to the application.
As you can see, the procedure for acquiring Ukrainian citizenship depends entirely on the specific legal ground.
What to Do in Case of Refusal?
Receiving a refusal from the State Migration Service or the Commission under the President of Ukraine is a serious legal issue, but it does not necessarily mean that the matter is finally closed. Many applicants look for ways to obtain Ukrainian citizenship urgently; however, errors or deficiencies in the documents may significantly delay the process. In such a situation, there are two main legal options. The first is to submit a new application. If the refusal was caused by technical errors, incorrectly prepared translations, the absence of an apostille, or an incomplete set of documents, a lawyer can help promptly correct these deficiencies. After the documents have been properly amended, the application may be submitted again.
Another option is to challenge the refusal in court. If the state authorities issued an unlawful or insufficiently substantiated decision, lawyers may prepare a claim before the administrative court. Court proceedings may result in the relevant actions or decision of the State Migration Service being declared unlawful and may require the authority to reconsider the case in accordance with the court’s findings.
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