By Wasila Yakubu
Ukraine has clarified the conditions under which foreigners and stateless individuals can acquire its citizenship, requiring applicants aged 18 and above to handle their applications personally while making consent compulsory for teenagers between 14 and 17.
The guidelines, issued by Ukraine’s State Migration Service under the country’s Citizenship Law and Presidential Decree No. 215 of March 27, 2001, establish different application procedures according to applicants’ ages.
Under the rules, applications for children below 14 must be submitted by their parents or legal representatives.
For minors aged 14 to 17, an adult must handle the application, but the teenager must personally agree to becoming a Ukrainian citizen. Parents and guardians cannot make that decision on their behalf without their consent.
Applicants who have reached 18 are required to submit their citizenship applications independently.
The migration authority also outlined a separate process for foreigners who already possess citizenship of another country.
Such applicants must formally commit to ending their existing citizenship within two years of being registered as Ukrainian citizens.
During this period, they receive temporary Ukrainian identity cards valid for two years instead of full passports.
A permanent Ukrainian passport can be issued once the applicant has completed the required process of terminating their previous citizenship or submitted a written declaration of renunciation in line with the applicable regulations.
However, individuals who are stateless are exempt from the requirement because they do not hold another country’s citizenship to renounce. They are also excluded from the two-year transitional arrangement.
The migration service advised prospective applicants to study the relevant legal provisions and prepare the necessary documents before beginning the citizenship process.
The guidelines are intended to clarify the responsibilities of applicants, parents and legal representatives while setting out the conditions foreigners must satisfy when seeking Ukrainian nationality.
Wasila Yakubu
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