Ukraine Passes Landmark Law Allowing Multiple Citizenship

Ukraine's Parliament has adopted a landmark piece of legislation that introduces the legal framework for multiple citizenship, signaling a significant shift in the country’s approach to nationality amid the ongoing war and mass displacement of its citizens.

The Gaze reports this with reference to a social media post by Ukrainian MP Iryna Herashchenko.

The Verkhovna Rada passed the bill in its final reading on Wednesday with 243 votes in favor. 

The law introduces comprehensive reforms to how Ukrainian citizenship is acquired, retained, and lost, and, for the first time, codifies the possibility of holding more than one citizenship under specific conditions.

According to MP Iryna Herashchenko, who was involved in the legislative process, this was the fourth and most refined version of the bill. 

Ahead of the second reading, a parliamentary working group added crucial provisions, including mandatory exams on the Ukrainian Constitution, national history, and language for new citizens.

Among the bill’s key promises are:

– to preserve citizenship for Ukrainians forced to flee abroad due to Russia’s full-scale invasion;

– to expand eligibility for Ukrainian citizenship to include certain stateless individuals and foreigners serving under contract in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and other military formations;

– to recognize dual or multiple citizenship;

– to outline the clearer criteria under which Ukrainian citizenship can be lost.

The adoption of this law marks a turning point in Ukraine’s post-Soviet citizenship policy, which until now adhered strictly to the principle of single nationality.

Discussions around dual citizenship had been ongoing for years, but the debate gained urgency following Russia’s 2022 invasion, which forced millions of Ukrainians to settle abroad. 

The law is expected to have far-reaching implications for Ukraine’s migration policy, military recruitment, and global engagement.

As The Gaze reported earlier, the European Commission has tapped former Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson as its new Special Envoy for Ukrainians, a role that will place her at the center of efforts to manage the long-term future of millions of Ukrainian refugees across the EU.