Author
Refugees may apply for naturalization following three years of residency in Ukraine, which is not the case for persons granted complementary protection, who have no right to naturalization, which significantly hampers their integration.
Persons in need of complementary protection status are frustrated by the lack of opportunities for naturalisation. This affects their ability to plan, establish and maintain relationships in Ukraine and obtain stable employment. Many of them have lived in Ukraine for many years but feel insecure regarding the extension of their residence permit.[1]
A refugee may be admitted to Ukrainian citizenship upon their application. The conditions for admission to Ukrainian citizenship are as follows:
- recognition of and respect for the Constitution of Ukraine and the laws of Ukraine, which is certified by the person in the application for admission to citizenship of Ukraine submitted in accordance with the established procedure;
- knowledge of the fundamentals of the Constitution of Ukraine and the history of Ukraine;
- a declaration of renunciation of foreign citizenship of a person recognised as a refugee;
- continuous legal residence in Ukraine for the last three years;
- proficiency in the state language in accordance with the level determined by the National Commission on State Language Standards.
The date of acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship shall be the date of the relevant Decree of the President of Ukraine. [2]
The precise number of international protection beneficiaries who obtained Ukrainian citizenship is unknown. Since 2019, there have been three Decrees signed by the President of Ukraine regarding the granting of Ukrainian citizenship to 28 foreigners.[3] Additionally, the SMS noted that none of the persons with refugee status obtained Ukrainian citizenship in 2023.[4]
[1] UNHCR, Ukraine 2019 Joint Needs Assessment, 2019, available in Ukrainian here.
[2] Article 9 Law on Ukrainian Citizenship.
[3] President of Ukraine, Decree no. 526/2019, 18 July 2019, available in Ukrainian here; President of Ukraine, Decree no. 466/2019, 27 June 2019, available in Ukrainian here; President of Ukraine, Decree no. 329/2019, 28 May 2019, available in Ukrainian here.
[4] SMS’s respond to the R2P’s request on public information.