Obtaining Ukrainian Citizenship for foreign military personnel

Ukrainian legislation opens up the opportunity for foreigners and stateless persons who have signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and are located on the territory of our state to legally become citizens of Ukraine. If we talk about the legal framework regulating this issue, then we are talking about the law “On Citizenship of Ukraine” and the law “On Military Duty and Military Service”.

What does the legislation provide for the entry of foreign volunteers into Ukraine?

If we analyze the current regulatory framework, there may be differences between what norms are in force in the legal field of Ukraine and the states from which foreign volunteers come to us. Thus, on March 1, 2022, the President of Ukraine signed decree № 82/2022, which introduced a visa-free regime for entry into the territory of Ukraine for such people. However, in the country of origin or current residence, the legislation may provide for the opening of a transit visa. So, if there is such a legal conflict, you still need to open a visa.

The signed contract that a foreigner enters into with the armed forces of our state becomes the legal basis for his presence on the territory of Ukraine. This means that additional documents in the form of a residence permit are not required for the duration of the service. The duration of the stay is determined by the period provided for in the contract.

What should a foreigner do after the expiration of the contract?

When a contract expires, it does not mean that the foreign volunteer will have to leave. He will have the opportunity to apply for an immigration permit and obtain a residence permit on the territory of Ukraine.

If such a military man has been awarded a state award or continues his service, he will have the opportunity to obtain Ukrainian citizenship in a simplified manner. This applies to cases where a corresponding proposal comes from the Ministry of Defense.

What documents must be provided to obtain citizenship?

Current legislation provides for the following package of documents that a foreign volunteer who is a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine must submit in order to obtain Ukrainian citizenship. Among them:

• the contract itself, certifying the fact of military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
• certificate issued at the place of service;
• military ID;
• international passport.

If a fighter who is a stateless person wants to obtain Ukrainian citizenship, instead of a foreign passport, he provides the appropriate travel document.

How can we be useful?

The team of our law office works on requests related to topics at the intersection of migration and military law. We focus on which legal norms will be relevant for each specific situation, taking into account your circumstances. Among the issues in which we can be useful are the following:

Consultations on entry into the territory of Ukraine. We will tell you about the rules for crossing the border, and also provide guidance on how you can enter into a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine in our state. This service will become relevant for foreigners who have just decided that they want to come to Ukraine and defend its territorial integrity and freedom.

Analysis of the actual grounds for obtaining Ukrainian citizenship. The current legislation of our state creates sufficient conditions for this in most situations, however, each case should be considered individually. This will allow you to correctly assess all prospects in a practical sense.

Drawing up an application and preparing an accompanying package of documentation to submit it for obtaining Ukrainian citizenship. This is very important to actually get the desired result.

Full support of the procedure during the entire period of document preparation. This service is comprehensive and allows the military to entrust the entire procedure to specialists. When you choose it, you make your life as easy as possible and free yourself from the need to study the legislation yourself. It also simplifies the process in those aspects where your personal interaction with authorized government agencies is not necessary. A competent and legally knowledgeable representative will do this for you.

Therefore, legal support in matters of obtaining Ukrainian citizenship for foreign volunteers who have signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a relevant service. Lawyers and lawyers from the practice of migration law are ready to provide the procedure for obtaining Ukrainian citizenship. Fill out the form on our website and our lawyer will contact you shortly.