Is dual citizenship allowed in Ukraine?

What the 2025 law changed

Law No. 4502-IX of 18 June 2025 amended the Law "On Citizenship of Ukraine" No. 2235-III and took effect on 16 January 2026. The principle of single citizenship survived, but it now means something different. A Ukrainian citizen who also holds another citizenship is recognised in legal relations with Ukraine only as a Ukrainian citizen. New point 8 of Article 2 added a principle on defining the legal regime for belonging to several states at once. How multiple citizenship fits into the wider picture is explained in the guide to the ways of obtaining Ukrainian citizenship.

For an expat from a listed state this means keeping your own passport after becoming Ukrainian. Inside Ukraine, though, you act as a Ukrainian citizen and use Ukrainian documents.

The list of states

Article 10-1 of the law instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to define the states whose citizens acquire Ukrainian citizenship under a simplified procedure. The method for choosing them was approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1272. The list itself was approved by Resolution No. 1412 of 5 November 2025. It has already been amended, and the current version includes all EU member states, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Canada, Moldova, Norway, the United States and Switzerland.

Check the list before you file, because it decides which document you will submit. The resolution is published on the official legislation portal.

Four documents

Together with the application for citizenship, a foreigner files one of four documents:

• a declaration recognising oneself as a citizen of Ukraine, for citizens of a listed state;
• an undertaking to terminate foreign citizenship;
• a declaration of renunciation of foreign citizenship, which the law allows only for certain categories;
• a declaration of absence of foreign citizenship, for a person who holds no citizenship at all.

The undertaking to terminate citizenship

A foreigner whose state is not on the list usually gives an undertaking to terminate foreign citizenship. Under the law, within two years of acquiring Ukrainian citizenship they must file a document confirming the termination with the authority that issued their temporary citizen's certificate. Until that document is filed, the person holds a temporary certificate and not a passport.

Failing to file the document has consequences that depend on the ground. For citizenship acquired through naturalization under Article 9, it is a ground for loss of citizenship. For other grounds the decision registering the citizenship is cancelled under Article 21. A missed deadline can be restored for good reasons backed by documents, and only once.

The declaration of renunciation

Only certain categories may file a declaration of renunciation of foreign citizenship. They include refugees and persons granted asylum, servicemen and members of their families. People who gave an undertaking but cannot obtain proof of renunciation for reasons beyond their control have the same right. Servicemen are covered in detail in the article on citizenship for foreigners serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ukrainian citizens with another citizenship

The new wording of Article 19 changed the rules on losing citizenship. A Ukrainian citizen loses Ukrainian citizenship if, after reaching adulthood, they voluntarily acquire the citizenship of the aggressor state or of a state whose citizens cannot acquire Ukrainian citizenship under the simplified procedure, that is, a state that is not on the list. Loss does not occur if the person would otherwise become stateless.

So a Ukrainian citizen who acquires the citizenship of a listed state keeps Ukrainian citizenship. For such people the law also makes renouncing Ukrainian citizenship optional.

Children with two citizenships

A child of a Ukrainian citizen and a foreigner often acquires both citizenships at birth. The rule on loss of citizenship covers only voluntary acquisition by an adult, so the child keeps both. In Ukraine the child uses Ukrainian documents. More in the article on citizenship by birth.

Transitional rules

Law No. 4502-IX contains transitional provisions for people who filed documents before 16 January 2026. Citizens of listed states who had earlier given an undertaking to terminate their citizenship can now file a declaration recognising themselves as citizens of Ukraine. The temporary window for swapping an undertaking for a declaration of renunciation has already closed. Anyone who filed before that date should check which rules apply in their case.

Residence permits and passports for foreigners

A separate rule covers foreigners with several citizenships who are not yet Ukrainian citizens. They submit to the ДМС (State Migration Service, DMS) the passport documents of all their citizenships, not just one of their choice. This applies to the посвідка на тимчасове проживання (temporary residence permit, TRP), the immigration permit and the permanent residence permit. Residence permits are covered in the guide to permanent residence.

Lawyer's experience

Clients from listed states most often fear that they will have to give up their passport. For them the new wording of the law is the biggest change in many years, and they now file the declaration recognising themselves as citizens.

Things are harder for people whose state is not on the list and does not release its citizens. In those cases I study the exit procedure in advance, because the time for filing the document is limited and missing it has serious consequences.

When you hold several citizenships or are planning Ukrainian citizenship, I will work out which document you should file at a migration law consultation.

Frequently asked questions