Eligibility quiz
Was either of your parents a Ukrainian citizen when you were born?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Ukrainian passport
Ukrainian citizens can get a foreign passport and hold up to two at once.
A passport is valid for four years for children under 16 and ten years from age 16.
Live in Ukraine for life
Ukrainian citizens have the right to live in Ukraine and return, even after living abroad permanently.
They cannot be expelled from Ukraine or sent to another country to face its authorities.
Study in Ukraine
Ukrainian citizens can study at all levels.
Free education includes general secondary, vocational, specialist pre-higher and higher education, but publicly funded places are subject to conditions.
Work in Ukraine
Ukrainian citizens can work and choose their occupation, with equal opportunities in professions and in job training and retraining.
Get help abroad
Ukrainian consulates can help protect your rights, give information and practical help, and assist during illness or an emergency.
They can be notified if you are arrested or detained.
If you lose your passport abroad, you can get a return document to travel back to Ukraine.
Vote and run for office
Ukrainian citizens can vote in elections and referendums from age 18, unless a court has found them legally incapable.
Citizens can also be elected and take part in running state affairs.
Use public healthcare
Ukrainian citizens have the right to health protection, medical care and medical insurance.
State and local public health institutions provide free care within the public healthcare system.
Get social support
Citizens can get social protection for disability, loss of a breadwinner, involuntary unemployment or old age if they meet the conditions.
People receiving social services have rights to information, dignity, privacy, a choice of provider and an assessment of their needs.
They can also refuse services where the law allows.
How to apply
Applying at a local officeApplying at a local office
Find a local office
If you are in Ukraine, find a State Migration Service office where you can apply.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which Ukraine State Migration Service office in your city accepts citizenship by birth applications?”
Download the application form
Get the application form for registering Ukrainian citizenship by birth.
Get the formFill in the form
Fill in and sign the form if you are applying for yourself. For a child, a parent or legal representative fills it in and signs it.
Find form instructionsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in the Ukrainian citizenship by birth registration application form?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the local office.
See required documentsBook an appointment
Register in the State Migration Service online queue if your chosen office uses it. If online booking is unavailable there, use the office's walk-in queue instead.
Join the queueHand in your application
Go to the State Migration Service office at your booked time or join its walk-in queue, and hand in the signed form and documents. Bring the originals for inspection and any payment receipts required for the service.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit a citizenship by birth registration application at a Ukraine State Migration Service office in your city?”
Wait for the decision
Wait for the State Migration Service to decide your application, and respond if it asks for more information or documents.
See what happensSearches DuckDuckGo for “What happens after I submit a Ukrainian citizenship by birth registration application to the State Migration Service?”
Collect your certificate
Receive your citizenship registration certificate from the State Migration Service body that decided your application. You can then apply for a Ukrainian passport.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I collect a Ukrainian citizenship by birth registration certificate from the State Migration Service in your city?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Bring your birth certificate, an extract of your birth record from Ukraine’s civil registry, or an official document proving your birth. If you were found in Ukraine as a newborn and your parents are unknown, also bring the civil registry extract showing that your birth was registered with unknown parents. If you were adopted, also bring the final court decision on your adoption.
Parent's citizenship records *
Bring your Ukrainian parent’s Ukrainian passport, passport for travel abroad, or another document showing their Ukrainian citizenship when you were born. If that parent has died or lost parental rights, bring a certificate from a Ukrainian migration service office confirming their citizenship at the time of your birth, together with the death certificate or decision on parental rights. If you were adopted, bring proof of your Ukrainian adoptive parent’s citizenship.
* Only if your parent was Ukrainian when you were born or you were adopted by a Ukrainian parent.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationParent's residence records *
Bring records showing where the relevant parent or parents lived in Ukraine when you were born. The records must show permanent or temporary residence, as required for your circumstances.
* Only if your claim depends on a parent's residence in Ukraine when you were born.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationParent's status records *
Bring proof of the relevant parent’s recognised refugee status, asylum or recognised statelessness in Ukraine when you were born. Bring evidence of the other parent’s status too if it is relevant to your claim.
* Only if your claim depends on a parent's refugee, asylum or stateless status.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationAdoptive parents' records *
Bring records showing your adoptive parents’ marriage and citizenship or stateless status where these are relevant to your adoption claim. The records should establish their circumstances when you were adopted.
* Only if you were adopted and your adoptive parents' circumstances are relevant.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Tax residence
If other tests do not settle where you are a tax resident, Ukrainian citizenship can be a deciding factor.
Ukrainian tax residents are taxed on income from Ukraine and abroad.
Foreign tax may be credited when the law and a treaty allow it and the required evidence is supplied.
Military registration and service
Citizens subject to military registration must register, including when living abroad temporarily or permanently.
Medically fit men who are liable can be called to basic military service from age 18 until 25; women serve voluntarily.
Other duties, including mobilisation, depend on the rules for each group.
Citizenship can be lost
Citizenship can end by giving it up or under an international treaty, but not merely by submitting a request.
In cases set by law, it can be lost for voluntarily acquiring another citizenship, entering another country's military, or obtaining Ukrainian citizenship by deception or false documents.
A formal decision or document is needed.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Expat Ukraine
Ukrainian Facebook group for people living in Ukraine interested in Ukrainian local life
Join on Facebookr/AnchorLessEurope
English Reddit group for people living in Europe interested in visas
Join on Redditr/europe
English Reddit group for people interested in local life in Europe
Join on RedditConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
Adavia doesn't provide advice, but we're building a directory of professionals who do. If you'd like, we can notify you when help is available.
Updated