Residence Permit, Permanent Residence, and Citizenship in Ukraine

Temporary Residence Permit in Ukraine

Grounds for obtaining a Temporary Residence Permit:

• Employment. Foreigners who have received a work permit in Ukraine can apply for a temporary residence permit. This requires a statement from the employer and relevant documents confirming the employment relationship.
• Participation in international projects. Individuals involved in cultural, educational, or volunteer programs may qualify for a residence permit. A petition from the relevant government body or organization confirming participation in such programs is required.
• Family circumstances. Spouses and minor children of Ukrainian citizens are entitled to a temporary residence permit based on family ties.

Procedure for obtaining a Temporary Residence Permit:

1. Submitting the application. The application is submitted to the local office of the State Migration Service of Ukraine (SMS).
2. Submitting documents:
• Passport with a notarized translation into Ukrainian,
• Documents confirming the grounds for obtaining the residence permit (employment contract, marriage certificate, etc.),
• Medical certificate indicating no infectious diseases,
• Receipt of payment of the state fee.
3. Processing time. The application is processed within 15 working days.

Advantages of a Temporary Residence Permit in Ukraine for non-residents:

• Right to legally stay in Ukraine for more than 90 days,
• Possibility of multiple entry and exit without the need for a visa,
• Access to medical and educational services on par with Ukrainian citizens.

Limitations of the Temporary Residence Permit in Ukraine:

• Does not grant the right to permanent residence or employment without additional authorization,
• Requires annual renewal and confirmation of the grounds for stay.

Permanent Residence Permit in Ukraine

Grounds for obtaining a Permanent Residence Permit:

• Investment in the Ukrainian economy. Foreign citizens who invest at least USD 100,000 in Ukraine's economy may apply for permanent residence.
• Close family ties. Parents, spouses, and children of Ukrainian citizens have the right to permanent residence in Ukraine.
• Participation in scientific or cultural activities. Individuals whose work is of interest to Ukraine may obtain permanent residence on this basis.

Procedure for obtaining a Permanent Residence Permit:

1. Obtaining an immigration permit. The application is submitted at a Ukrainian diplomatic mission abroad or to a local SMS office.
2. Submitting documents:
• Passport with notarized translation,
• Documents confirming the grounds for immigration (investment contracts, proof of family ties, etc.),
• Certificate of no criminal record,
• Medical certificate.
3. Processing time. The process may take up to one year.

Advantages of Permanent Residence in Ukraine for non-residents:

• Right to permanent residence without the need to renew the status,
• Possibility of official employment without additional permits,
• Access to social programs and medical services.

Limitations of Permanent Residence Status in Ukraine:

• Obligation to notify SMS of a change of residence,
• Maintaining the citizenship of another country may limit some rights in Ukraine.

Citizenship of Ukraine

Grounds for obtaining citizenship:

• By birth. Individuals born to Ukrainian citizens automatically acquire citizenship.
• Naturalization. Foreigners who have continuously lived in Ukraine for at least 5 years, speak Ukrainian, and have renounced their previous citizenship may apply for naturalization (in 2022–2023, bills on introducing multiple citizenships were discussed—especially for the diaspora and foreign volunteers involved in the war in Ukraine—but none were enacted as law).
• Restoration of citizenship. Individuals who previously held Ukrainian citizenship may restore it under certain conditions.

Procedure for obtaining citizenship:

1. Submitting the application. The application is submitted to the local SMS office or to a Ukrainian diplomatic mission.
2. Submitting documents:
• Passport,
• Documents confirming grounds for acquiring citizenship,
• Certificate of no criminal record,
• Document confirming renunciation of previous citizenship (or commitment to renounce it after obtaining Ukrainian citizenship, if stipulated by Ukraine’s international agreements).
3. Processing time. The citizenship application review process can take from 1 to 2 years, depending on the grounds and volume of submitted documents. The decision is made by the President of Ukraine, after which the applicant receives a decree granting citizenship.

Advantages of Ukrainian citizenship:

• Full access to the Ukrainian labor market without restrictions,
• Right to participate in political life (voting, elections),
• Right to land ownership, which is not available to foreigners without citizenship,
• Free movement across Ukraine without registration,
• Visa-free or simplified entry to countries with which Ukraine has relevant agreements.

Restrictions and risks:

• Ukraine does not recognize dual citizenship de jure. Although in practice dual citizenship does exist, officially individuals must renounce their other citizenship when obtaining a Ukrainian passport,
• Obtaining citizenship requires renunciation of the previous citizenship (except in certain cases, such as with citizens of countries that have special agreements with Ukraine, like Portugal or Italy).

Despite military actions, it is already possible to begin the process of obtaining a residence permit, which may become the first step toward full integration into the country and acquiring citizenship.

Impact of the War on Procedures for Obtaining Residence Permits and Citizenship

The armed conflict that began in 2014 and intensified significantly in February 2022 has had a substantial impact on migration procedures in Ukraine.

What has changed?

• Priority for humanitarian grounds. Since the start of the full-scale war, priority in issuing residence permits has been given to individuals involved in humanitarian missions, journalists, human rights defenders, and refugees from war-affected countries.
• Complicated procedures in certain regions. In some temporarily occupied or frontline areas, SMS offices are either not operational or work in a limited capacity.
• Digitization and simplification of processes. Ukraine is actively implementing electronic services, including document submission for residence and citizenship via the Diia portal.
• Increased interest from the diaspora. There has been a rise in applications for citizenship restoration from ethnic Ukrainians in Canada, the USA, and the EU.

Risks associated with the current situation:

• Possible delays in application processing due to the reallocation of administrative resources for defense and internal security,
• Some legislative initiatives are undergoing changes, and the legal framework may change after documents are submitted,
• Certain legal ambiguities remain regarding dual citizenship, especially for citizens of CIS countries.

The armed conflict that began in 2014 and especially intensified in February 2022 has had a significant impact on migration procedures in Ukraine, but has not stopped them.

What are the prospects for obtaining residence and citizenship statuses after the war ends?

Ukraine is expected to liberalize its investment and migration legislation to attract foreign capital for the country's reconstruction. The introduction of investment citizenship or special visas for investors is also being considered, which is common practice in developed countries and most EU nations. Furthermore, Ukraine plans to implement mechanisms for accelerated issuance of permanent residence and citizenship to those who help restore infrastructure or make significant real estate investments in Ukraine and in the Ukrainian economy in general.

Conclusions

Ukraine offers foreigners real opportunities to legalize their stay by obtaining temporary or permanent residence and citizenship. Each of these statuses has its own benefits and limitations. The choice of a suitable path depends on one’s goals, scale of investment, and readiness to comply with local requirements.

Despite the difficult situation caused by the war, Ukraine continues to improve its migration policy, and after the conflict ends, a wave of reforms is expected to attract investors and rebuild Ukraine's economy and infrastructure, including everything destroyed by the war. It is already possible to start the process of obtaining a residence permit, which can be the first step toward full integration into the country and acquiring citizenship.

This material was prepared by the specialists of TridentEstate (Trident.Estate). All materials about real estate investment in Ukraine on the blog at tridentestate are for informational purposes only and do not constitute direct recommendations for purchasing real estate in Ukraine. To plan investments in Ukraine, please contact our company specialists through the form below.

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