Dual citizenship not yet possible in Ukraine
Until now, dual citizenship was not officially permitted in Ukraine. Anyone who took on another citizenship actually had to give up their Ukrainian citizenship. In practice, however, this was often not implemented consistently. As a result, Ukrainians living abroad in particular were faced with the decision between two citizenships.
Under the new law, children born abroad to Ukrainian parents, spouses and foreign volunteers fighting in Ukraine, among others, can now retain Ukrainian citizenship in addition to another. Strict rules continue to apply to Russian citizens.
Dual citizenship in Ukraine from June 2025
The law was introduced to the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in August 2024 and passed on June 19, 2025.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov stated on Facebook that this was "an important step towards maintaining and restoring relations with millions of Ukrainians around the world". He also described the law as a "rapprochement with the European Union and 130 democratic countries where this practice has long been the norm."
The law should not only enable stronger ties to the global Ukrainian diaspora, but also promote long-term return and participation - especially for those who have left the country as a result of the war.
What this means for Ukrainians living in Germany
It is estimated that up to 20 million people with Ukrainian roots live outside Ukraine worldwide - including a large number in Germany. Since the start of the Russian war of aggression in February 2022, the number of Ukrainians living in Germany has risen significantly - to over one million, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
The new law on the admission of multiple citizenships means that Ukrainians living abroad will no longer have to give up their Ukrainian citizenship when Naturalization in another country.
For Ukrainians living in Germany, this is particularly important in connection with the reform of the German citizenship law which came into force on June 27, 2024.
Since then, Germany has also generally allowed people to retain their previous citizenship in the event of Naturalization. This means thatdual citizenship is now legally possible on both sides.
Naturalization in Germany - Requirements (as of 2024)
- Minimum stay: 5 years legal residence (with legal Residence permit) in Germany - in exceptional cases 3 years
- Identity and nationality: Proof of identity and current nationality must be provided.
- Commitment to the free democratic basic order of Germany
- Language skills: Proof of German language skills at level B1
- Livelihood: Independent means of subsistence without social benefits (with exceptions)
- Integration test: Knowledge of the legal and social order (naturalization test)
- No serious criminal offense (exceptions for up to 90 daily rates)
The legal changes in both countries create a clear basis for dual citizenship in the German-Ukrainian context for the first time. This primarily affects Ukrainians who live permanently in Germany and would like to be naturalized here without losing their Ukrainian citizenship.
