This year, a draft law will come into force to tighten the rules for obtaining Ukrainian citizenship. Find out how the procedure will change and what to expect for foreigners planning to obtain Ukrainian citizenship

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Shortly, new rules for acquiring Ukrainian citizenship apply in Ukraine. In April, the President of Ukraine signed new requirements for obtaining citizenship, which will become effective on October 27, 2023.

Previously, the procedure was rather formal as those wishing to obtain citizenship had to submit documents and fulfill the requirements of the law. Now it’s more difficult to become a citizen of Ukraine. After the start of the full-scale invasion, the topic of citizenship caused concerns for the authorities and the population. Especially if foreigners from russia or belarus are considered.

The concepts of citizenship and nationality cannot be equated, as has been done in the past. Being a citizen entails respecting the identity of the country and maintaining a stable political connection with it. Ukraine is currently undertaking a new round of state policy aimed at fostering a conscious approach to acquiring citizenship and transforming the attitudes of foreigners towards this process.

Here are the rules for obtaining citizenship in 2023 with reference to RBK-Ukraine.

What Was It Like Before?

The Law "On Citizenship of Ukraine" governs the acquiring of citizenship. However, the previous requirements under this law were relatively lenient, allowing applicants to obtain citizenship without demonstrating a genuine commitment. In some cases, individuals could even purchase the necessary certificates to facilitate the acquisition of citizenship.

According to the law, a foreigner must meet the following criteria:

● Have an immigration permit;

● Legally reside in Ukraine for five years (this period must be continuous);

● Master Ukrainian language;

● Have legal sources of income.

In addition to the specified requirements, a foreigner must submit certain documents:

● An application for acceptance of citizenship, demonstrating compliance with the Constitution and legislation of Ukraine;

● A declaration stating the absence of any other citizenship or the commitment to terminate it;

● A certificate of proficiency in the state language;

● Confirmation of the legality of income sources (copies of registration documents of a sole proprietorship or limited liability company, a workbook or an order on employment).

Should the country change the approach?

Ukraine needs to update the requirements to break corruption schemes and ensure respect for the institution of citizenship.

An evident example is the recognition of the Constitution in the application. Everyone understands this is a mere formality, with no evidence of the applicant's knowledge of the country's Basic Law. Those seeking citizenship could easily get a corresponding certificate even without knowledge of the Ukrainian language. The same applies to the certificate of language proficiency. Many foreigners, despite not being fluent in Ukrainian, have managed to acquire citizenship.

Indeed, foreigners could know nothing about Ukraine. They can legally become Ukrainians without confirming their language level (this norm was established in July 2021).

Therefore, becoming a citizen doesn’t require any effort. This attitude towards citizenship humiliates the state in the eyes of foreigners and the local population.

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Reevaluation of Ukrainian citizenship

The full-scale war changed the values of many Ukrainians and foreigners. People start asking: "What does it mean to be Ukrainian?", "How does the Ukrainian nation identify itself?". Accordingly, everyone who aspires to legally become a Ukrainian must clearly associate themselves with Ukraine.

It is also important to consider human psychology. When something is attained through effort, it is often valued more deeply. People recognize that to achieve their desires, they must exert themselves. As a result, the outcome brings a sense of satisfaction and amplifies the significance of the accomplishment.

By the way, the rating of the best countries was recently updated with Ukraine among the participants. Find out which place the country took following the link.

Society needs to distinguish between citizenship and nationality. These concepts are not similar, as a person of another nationality can be a decent citizen. The new approach to citizenship acquisition should break only the legal connection with the country. From now on, citizens must consider themselves as a part of Ukraine.

What will foreigners expect?

In the future, becoming a citizen of Ukraine will require confirmation of knowledge of Ukrainian history and the Constitution. For this, authorities will elaborate an exam and a devoted institution to evaluate the results.

Persons whose citizenship is of state interest will be deferred from the exam for two years. But then they also have to pass the exams. Fraud, falsification, or corruption will be grounds for depriving a person of Ukrainian citizenship.

We remind you, the security situation in Ukraine does not stop foreign tourists from seeing the beauty of Ukrainian nature and the atmosphere of cities with their own eyes. In our previous article, we explained why Ukraine attracts so many tourists despite the full-scale war and where people go most often.

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