Temporary residence, permanent residence or citizenship in Ukraine, what is the difference?

Three statuses

A foreigner who plans a long life in Ukraine passes through different statuses. A посвідка на тимчасове проживання (temporary residence permit, TRP) is tied to a specific ground. A посвідка на постійне проживання (permanent residence permit, PRP), often called ПМЖ (permanent residence), gives the right to live in Ukraine permanently. Citizenship makes a person a citizen of Ukraine with all the rights and duties that come with it. The grounds for permanent residence are covered in the article on grounds for permanent residence.

Temporary residence permit

For most foreigners, a temporary residence permit is the first status. It is issued on the basis of work, marriage, studies, volunteering and other grounds listed in the law. The permit stays valid while its ground exists and is extended together with it. Once the ground disappears, for example when an employee is dismissed, the permit may be cancelled. How this status works is explained in the guide to the temporary residence permit.

Permanent residence

Permanent residence is obtained in two steps, first a дозвіл на імміграцію (immigration permit) and then the residence permit card. The card itself is issued for 10 years and then exchanged, while the right to reside stays the same. The main advantage is that the right to live in Ukraine is no longer tied to a job or studies. You can change jobs, become unemployed or run a business, and the right to live in Ukraine stays.

Still, permanent residence remains a foreigner's status. You keep your foreign citizenship, and with it the duty to hold a valid passport of your country. An immigration permit can also be revoked, for example for a breach of the law on foreigners, as described in the article on revocation of an immigration permit.

Citizenship

Admission to citizenship is governed by Article 9 of the Law "On Citizenship of Ukraine". It sets these conditions:

For certain categories the law makes exceptions. A foreigner married to a Ukrainian citizen for more than three years is exempt from the continuous residence condition. Refugees and people granted asylum need to have lived in Ukraine for three years.

Service members have a period of their own, which is three years, or one year of contract military service under martial law. For foreign Ukrainians the residence period is one year from the day the immigration permit is granted.

• recognising and observing the Constitution and laws of Ukraine;
• knowing the basics of the Constitution and the history of Ukraine and speaking the state language, which is tested by exams;
• continuous residence in Ukraine for the last five years;
• holding an immigration permit;
• having lawful sources of income.

Rights and duties of a citizen

Citizenship differs from permanent residence in more than the document you carry. The Constitution gives the right to vote in elections and referendums to Ukrainian citizens. It also places on citizens the duty to defend the state, so a citizen who also holds a foreign passport crosses the border under martial law according to the rules for Ukrainian citizens. A foreigner with permanent residence has neither these duties nor the right to vote.

Travel is affected too. A Ukrainian citizen travels on a Ukrainian passport under the visa rules that apply to Ukrainians, while a foreigner with permanent residence uses the passport of their own country.

How to move between statuses

The most common path looks like this:

For most people, the requirement to hold an immigration permit makes permanent residence a compulsory step before citizenship.

Some categories can go straight to permanent residence and skip the temporary permit, for example spouses of Ukrainian citizens once the marriage has lasted more than two years. Their path is one stage shorter. How this works is explained in the article on permanent residence outside the quota.

1. 1You arrive on a D visa or on another ground.
2. 2You obtain a temporary residence permit.
3. 3You receive an immigration permit and then permanent residence.
4. 4Later, if you wish, you apply for citizenship.

What to choose

Your choice depends on your plans. If you are in Ukraine for a few years to work, a temporary residence permit may be enough. If you plan to live here regardless of your employer, consider permanent residence. Citizenship makes sense if you link your whole life with Ukraine and are ready to sit the exams.

Lawyer's experience

Foreigners most often ask me whether they can apply for citizenship straight away. For most of them the answer is no, because the law requires an immigration permit. So I advise building the plan backwards, deciding first which status you will need in a few years and then choosing the first step with that in mind.

My second piece of advice concerns the temporary residence permit. The periods and grounds that shape your route to permanent residence start with your first permit. An overstay at this stage can later become a ground for refusing an immigration permit.

If you are planning a long-term life in Ukraine, at a migration law consultation we will build a plan from your first permit to the status you need.

Frequently asked questions