Laut 2025-08-08 No Comments

Renunciation of Ukrainian Citizenship

This in-depth analysis, prepared by Laut, aims to provide comprehensive information on the procedure for renouncing Ukrainian citizenship. It is addressed primarily to citizens of Ukraine who have acquired citizenship of another country, with a special focus on Polish citizenship, and are considering formalizing their legal status.

All information presented is based exclusively on official sources of the Government and Administration of Ukraine, including:

Law of Ukraine “On Citizenship of Ukraine” (Law No. 2235-IV of April 16, 1997, with subsequent amendments)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA), including guidelines and procedures published by Ukrainian consular posts abroad
State Migration Service of Ukraine (DMSU)
Office of the President of Ukraine
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

Legal Basis for the Termination of Ukrainian Citizenship

The key legal act regulating citizenship issues in Ukraine is the Law of Ukraine “On Citizenship of Ukraine” (Law No. 2235-IV of April 16, 1997, with subsequent amendments). Ukrainian citizenship law clearly distinguishes between two main forms of citizenship termination, in accordance with Article 18 of the law:

Exit from the citizenship of Ukraine (Вихід з громадянства України): This is a voluntary procedure initiated at the request of a person who wants to renounce Ukrainian citizenship. It is an act of conscious renunciation of citizenship, requiring active action on the part of the citizen.
Loss of citizenship of Ukraine (Втрата громадянства України): This occurs as a result of specific actions or circumstances, often independently of a person’s direct will, or as a consequence of a voluntary action, but without a formal application for renunciation. Examples include the voluntary acquisition of citizenship of another state by an adult, joining the military service, security services, law enforcement agencies, justice bodies, or state bodies of a foreign state without the consent of the Ukrainian authorities, obtaining Ukrainian citizenship based on false information or falsified documents, or the lack of consular registration for seven years for persons living abroad without valid reasons.

In the context of renouncing citizenship, this analysis focuses on the “exit from citizenship” procedure. It is important to understand that although the voluntary acquisition of citizenship of another state by an adult is a basis for the loss of Ukrainian citizenship, in practice the “loss” process often requires formal recognition by the state and is not fully automatic. The goal is to avoid statelessness.

The lack of clear guidance in the available materials on whether “loss” is a process initiated solely by the Ukrainian state or requires active action by the citizen suggests that a formal “exit from citizenship” may be the preferred path to ensure full legal clarity and avoid uncertainty about one’s citizenship status. For citizens of Ukraine who already hold a second citizenship, understanding whether their status is “lost” or “requires renunciation” is crucial for their rights and obligations, including military or tax obligations.

The final decision to renounce Ukrainian citizenship is formalized by the issuance of a relevant Decree of the President of Ukraine. The date of this decree is the date of the termination of citizenship.

The table below shows the key differences between these two ways of terminating citizenship:

Type of Citizenship Termination	Exit from citizenship (Renunciation)	Loss of citizenship
Legal Basis (Law on Citizenship of Ukraine)	Art. 19	Art. 20
Nature	Voluntary, at the person’s request	Often automatic/compulsory, as a result of specific actions
Examples	Application for renunciation of citizenship after acquiring another one	Voluntary acquisition of citizenship of another state (for adults), joining military service in a foreign state, false data upon acquisition, lack of consular registration
Decision-making Body	President of Ukraine (based on the application)	President of Ukraine (based on the facts presented)

Procedure for Renouncing Ukrainian Citizenship

The procedure for renouncing Ukrainian citizenship is a multi-stage process that requires fulfilling specific conditions and submitting extensive documentation.

General Conditions and Requirements

The procedure for renouncing Ukrainian citizenship is intended for citizens of Ukraine who permanently reside outside the borders of Ukraine. This requires having appropriate annotations in the passport regarding permanent residence abroad or other documents confirming this fact.

A key procedural condition is that it is not possible to renounce Ukrainian citizenship from the territory of Ukraine. Applications must be submitted through Ukrainian diplomatic or consular posts abroad. The State Migration Service of Ukraine (DMSU) has no information on the procedure for renouncing citizenship for citizens residing in Ukraine, which further confirms this requirement. This means that a person who wants to renounce citizenship must first legally leave Ukraine and obtain the status of a permanent resident in another country, and then submit an application to a Ukrainian consular post. This requirement creates a significant barrier for people who, for various reasons, cannot or do not want to leave Ukraine but wish to renounce their citizenship. This can lead to situations where such people remain citizens of Ukraine against their will, which has legal consequences, such as military or tax obligations, especially in the context of the ongoing war and mobilization regulations. The lack of an internal procedure is a significant limitation on access to this legal path.

Renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship may be refused if it would lead to statelessness. Therefore, the applicant must present a document confirming the acquisition of citizenship of another state or a document issued by an authorized body of another state guaranteeing the granting of citizenship in case of renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship.

Required Documents

Applications for the renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship require the submission of documents in four copies.

For an adult

The basic set of documents for an adult includes:

Application for the renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship: Document templates are available on the websites of consulates.
Four photographs: 35x45mm in size.
A copy of the passport of a citizen of Ukraine for travel abroad: It must contain an annotation about leaving for permanent residence abroad, or a copy of the passport of a citizen of the former USSR (1974 model) with an annotation about being deregistered from the territory of Ukraine. In the absence of these documents, relevant certificates issued by the internal affairs bodies of Ukraine or a diplomatic/consular post of Ukraine must be presented, confirming the fact of having Ukrainian citizenship and permanent residence abroad.
One of the following documents:
- A document confirming the acquisition of citizenship of another state (states).
- A document issued by an authorized body of another state stating that a citizen of Ukraine will acquire the citizenship of that state if they renounce Ukrainian citizenship (a so-called guarantee of citizenship).

The table below summarizes the required documents for an adult:

Document	Requirement
Application for renunciation of citizenship	Mandatory (4 copies)
Photos (35x45mm)	Mandatory (4 pieces)
Copy of passport with annotation of permanent residence abroad (or certificate)	Mandatory
Document confirming the acquisition/guarantee of citizenship of another state	Mandatory

For children (persons under 18 who are not married)

The procedure for children is more complex and depends on the parents’ situation. Four copies of documents are also required.

A child who has left abroad with their parents for permanent residence and renounces Ukrainian citizenship with them: One of the parents must submit an application for the child’s renunciation of citizenship in their own application for renunciation of citizenship. The following must be attached:
- A copy of the child’s birth certificate.
- A copy of the document confirming the child’s Ukrainian citizenship.
- One of the documents confirming the acquisition or guarantee of acquisition of citizenship of another state by the child. This document is not required if the law of the state whose citizenship the child is acquiring provides for the acquisition of citizenship by the child as a result of the acquisition of citizenship by their parents or one of them.
- In the case of children aged 14-18, their written consent to the renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship is required. The signature on this consent must be notarized.
- A document confirming the child’s departure for permanent residence abroad.
A child who has left abroad with one parent for permanent residence and renounces citizenship with that parent, while the other parent remains a citizen of Ukraine, is a foreigner, or is a stateless person: The parent renouncing citizenship must submit an application for the child’s renunciation of citizenship in their own application. The required documents are similar to the above, taking into account the status of the other parent.
A child who has left abroad for permanent residence and their parents have renounced Ukrainian citizenship: One of the parents submits an application for the child’s renunciation of citizenship. The following are required: an application, four photos (for children aged 7 and older), a copy of the birth certificate, a copy of the document confirming the child’s Ukrainian citizenship, a document confirming the acquisition/guarantee of another citizenship by the child, the consent of a child aged 14-18 (notarized), a document confirming the child’s departure for permanent residence abroad, and documents confirming that the child’s parents have renounced Ukrainian citizenship.
A child adopted by a couple, one of whom is a citizen of Ukraine and the other is a foreigner: The adopting parent who is a foreigner submits an application for the child’s renunciation of citizenship. The following are required: an application, four photos (for children aged 7 and older), a copy of the birth certificate, a copy of the document confirming the child’s Ukrainian citizenship, a document confirming the acquisition/guarantee of another citizenship by the child, the consent of a child aged 14-18 (notarized), a document confirming the citizenship of the other adopting parent in another state, a copy of the passport of the citizen of Ukraine of the other adopting parent, and a copy of the court decision or adoption order recognized in Ukraine.
A child adopted by foreigners or stateless persons: One of the adopting parents submits an application. The following are required: an application, four photos (for children aged 7 and older), a copy of the birth certificate, a copy of the document confirming the child’s Ukrainian citizenship, a document confirming the acquisition/guarantee of another citizenship by the child, the consent of a child aged 14-18 (notarized), copies of documents confirming that the adopting parents are foreigners or stateless persons, and a copy of the court decision or adoption order recognized in Ukraine.

The table below presents selected documentation scenarios for children:

Scenario	Required documents
Child with parents (14-18 years old)	Copy of birth certificate, Copy of UA citizenship document, Foreign citizenship acquisition/guarantee document, Child’s consent (notarized), Document of departure for permanent residence abroad
Child adopted by foreigners (7+ years old)	Application for renunciation, Photos (4 pieces), Copy of birth certificate, Copy of UA citizenship document, Foreign citizenship acquisition/guarantee document, Child’s consent (notarized), Copies of documents confirming that adopters are foreigners/stateless persons, Copy of adoption order

Place of Submission of Applications

Applications for the renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship are submitted through Ukrainian diplomatic or consular posts abroad. Examples include Consulate General of Ukraine in Frankfurt am Main or Consulate General of Ukraine in New York. It is confirmed that there is no possibility of submitting applications to the State Migration Service of Ukraine (DMSU) on the territory of Ukraine.

Course of the Process and Deadlines

The general deadline for considering an application for exit from Ukrainian citizenship should not exceed one year. It should be noted that this period does not include the time required for sending materials by diplomatic or courier mail.

The date of termination of Ukrainian citizenship is the date of issuance of the relevant Decree of the President of Ukraine. Upon receiving notification of the termination of Ukrainian citizenship, the foreign diplomatic mission notifies the applicant of the President of Ukraine’s decision within one week. It then withdraws the travel documents of the citizen of Ukraine and issues a certificate of termination of Ukrainian citizenship. If the person whose citizenship has been terminated does not collect the relevant certificate and does not return the travel documents of the citizen of Ukraine to the institution within the specified period, the foreign diplomatic mission takes action to invalidate the passport document.

Consular Fees Associated with Renunciation of Citizenship

The consular fee for renouncing Ukrainian citizenship is 280 EUR or 300 USD for each applicant. In the case of children aged 14 and older who apply for renunciation of citizenship together with one of the parents, an additional fee of 18 EUR may be charged for notarizing the child’s consent to renounce citizenship.

The table below shows the details of consular fees:

Applicant Type	Fee (EUR/USD)
Adult	280 EUR / 300 USD
Child under 14 (with a parent)	280 EUR / 300 USD
Child 14 or older (with a parent)	280 EUR / 300 USD + 18 EUR (for notarized consent)

Key Conditions and Limitations

The procedure for renouncing Ukrainian citizenship, although clearly defined, is subject to certain conditions and limitations that may affect its successful completion.

Grounds for Refusal of Renunciation of Citizenship

An application for the renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship may be rejected in the following cases:

If the applicant has unfulfilled obligations to the state of Ukraine.
If the applicant has property obligations related to the interests of legal or natural persons on the territory of Ukraine.
If the renunciation of citizenship would lead to the applicant’s statelessness (which is minimized by the requirement to have another citizenship or a guarantee of its granting).

The phrase about “unfulfilled obligations to the state” is extremely broad and, in the context of the ongoing war, may include various duties, such as military duties (e.g., military service, mobilization) or other legal obligations that can be interpreted as “state interests.” This clause introduces considerable uncertainty for applicants, especially men of conscription age or people who may have any unresolved legal issues in Ukraine. This can be a serious obstacle in the process of renouncing citizenship, even if all other formal requirements are met.

Context of Changes in Ukrainian Law on Multiple Citizenship

In June 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law regulating multiple citizenship. The new law aims to enable some foreigners to obtain a Ukrainian passport under a simplified procedure, without having to renounce their current citizenship, and also for Ukrainians to obtain a passport of another state without having to renounce Ukrainian citizenship.

However, it should be noted that the new regulations only apply to selected countries (excluding aggressor/occupying states) and do not cover judges or officials. Furthermore, there is uncertainty as to whether this law will come into force due to potential inconsistency with the Constitution of Ukraine. For a person considering renouncing Ukrainian citizenship, this situation is key. If the new law comes into force and is stable, the need to renounce Ukrainian citizenship in order to acquire another citizenship may disappear for many people. However, as long as the legal status of the new law is uncertain, the current renunciation procedure remains the only formally established path. This implies that the decision to renounce citizenship should be made with full awareness of this uncertainty and possible future changes that may make this step unnecessary or even disadvantageous in the long run. This indicates the need for continuous monitoring of legislative changes in Ukraine.

Summary and Recommendations

The analysis of the procedure for renouncing Ukrainian citizenship, formally referred to as “exit from citizenship,” leads to several key conclusions:

It is a formal process, initiated at the request of a citizen and finalized by a decree of the President of Ukraine.
The procedure is intended exclusively for citizens of Ukraine permanently residing abroad and must be carried out through Ukrainian consular posts. Renunciation from the territory of Ukraine is not possible.
The requirement to have another citizenship or a guarantee of its granting is crucial to prevent statelessness.
The process is time-consuming, lasting up to one year (not including shipping time), and involves significant consular fees.
The required documents are detailed and differ depending on the applicant’s status (adult, child in various configurations).
There are grounds for refusing the application, including unfulfilled obligations to the state of Ukraine or property obligations on the territory of Ukraine.

For people considering renouncing Ukrainian citizenship, based on this analysis, the following practical recommendations are formulated:

Confirm residence status: You should ensure that you have the status of a permanent resident abroad, confirmed by appropriate annotations in your travel documents.
Obtain another citizenship or a guarantee: Before applying for renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship, it is crucial to already have the citizenship of another state or an official guarantee of its granting.
Prepare complete documentation: All required documents must be meticulously collected, paying special attention to the number of copies (four copies) and specific requirements for children (e.g., notarized consent for people aged 14-18).
Reserve an appropriate amount of time and resources: You should be prepared for the fact that the process may take up to a year or longer and involves a consular fee of 280 EUR (or 300 USD) for each applicant.
Check obligations to the state: Before submitting the application, you should carefully check whether you have any unfulfilled obligations to the state of Ukraine (including potential military obligations) or property obligations in Ukraine that could be a basis for refusal.
Monitor legislative changes: Given the recent adoption of the law on multiple citizenship and the uncertainty as to its entry into force, it is recommended to continuously monitor changes in Ukrainian citizenship law. It may turn out that in the future, renunciation of citizenship will not be necessary in a given situation.
Consult with Laut: Due to the complexity of the procedure and potential challenges (such as a broad interpretation of “unfulfilled obligations” or the unclear status of the new law on multiple citizenship), in case of doubt, it is recommended to seek legal advice from Laut.