Ukraine is equally attractive to foreign investors and people who come here for employment reasons, the residence permit being the main document they need to live here legally. When staying in the country for a sufficient number of years, they can apply for Ukrainian citizenship.
There are several ways through a foreigner can acquire a Ukrainian passport, among which permanent residency and investment are two of the most popular. However, there is also the option of obtaining Ukraine citizenship by descent for those who meet certain conditions.
Below, our lawyers in Ukraine explain the main conditions one must meet in order to obtain citizenship by descent or ancestry in this country.
Who can apply for citizenship by ancestry in Ukraine?
According to the Nationality Act of Ukraine, citizenship is awarded by the right of blood for those who have ties with this country. This means that it the place of birth of a person is not important, as long as one of the parents is a Ukrainian citizen.
This makes obtaining Ukraine citizenship by descent easier compared to other European countries. Even so, there are still specific requirements to meet in order to become a citizen of this country.
Conditions to obtain citizenship by descent in Ukraine
Ukrainian citizenship by descent can be sought by any of the following categories of applicants:
- children of any Ukrainian citizen who was born or lived here before the 24th of August 1991;
- grandchildren of a Ukrainian citizen who was born or lived in this country before the 24th of August 1991;
- brothers or sisters of persons who were born or lived in Ukraine before the 24th of August 1991;
- children of foreign citizens who were born or lived in Ukraine before the 24th of August 1991.
When seeking to obtain Ukraine citizenship by descent it is recommended to use the services of professionals who can draft the paperwork related to demonstrate one’s ties to this country. Some of our lawyers in Ukraine specialize in immigration matters and can help you gather the necessary information and help you claim your rights.
The procedure of applying for Ukraine citizenship by descent
Persons who want to reclaim their Ukrainian ancestry will have the advantage of not being required to live in the country as those who want to obtain citizenship by naturalization. In the first case, they need to prepare the following documents:
- a specific application form which can be found with the State Migration Service;
- 8 recent photographs;
- the passport;
- proof of having ancestors of Ukrainian origin;
- criminal records issued in the current country of living;
- an application form for changing the citizenship;
- an application for registering a residence place in Ukraine.
When it comes to submitting evidence of the ties with the country, there are various documents that can be used to prove one’s Ukrainian descent. Among these, birth, death, or marriage certificates of the Ukrainian relatives can be filed.
The documents can be filed with the Ukrainian embassy or consulate in the applicant’s current country of living or with State Migration Service in Ukraine. Our Ukrainian law firm is at your service if you decide to apply directly here in order to obtain your passport sooner.
Where to find proof of Ukrainian ancestry
For many foreigners who have lived outside of Ukraine for a long time, claiming their right of becoming Ukrainian citizens based on their ties with this country can take a lot of time if they are not in the possession of the documents that prove their relationship with their ancestors.
Such papers can be usually found with the civil registry in Ukraine. However, there are several aspects to consider, among which the fact that if the relatives were born between 1917 and 1945, the papers can be found with the local civil registries and are usually kept in good conditions. However, if the ancestors were born before 1917, it can be more difficult to find them.
If you want to apply for Ukraine citizenship by descent, you can obtain detailed information on how to access local civil registries from our lawyers. From our experience, most applicants choose to use our legal services in order to obtain such papers faster.
Tailored support offered by our immigration lawyers in Ukraine
If you want to apply for citizenship by descent in Ukraine, you can rely on our law firm who is at your service with various services starting with preparing the application forms and up to completing searches for tracking down your ancestry line. However, if you decide for naturalization, you can still count on us.
Contact us right away for more information on Ukraine citizenship by descent!