Zelenskyy once again submits bill on multiple citizenship to Rada

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again submitted a bill on multiple citizenship to the Verkhovna Rada.

The relevant bill 11469 "On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Ensuring the Right to Acquire and Preserve Ukrainian Citizenship" was registered in the Verkhovna Rada on August 7, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

Zelenskyy defined this bill as urgent for extraordinary consideration by the Verkhovna Rada, and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, was instructed to present it at the Verkhovna Rada meeting.

The bill, in particular, enshrines admissible cases of multiple citizenship of Ukraine.

Multiple citizenships are allowed in the following cases:

1) simultaneous acquisition of the citizenship of Ukraine and the citizenship of another state or states by a child by birth;

2) acquisition by a child who is a citizen of Ukraine of the citizenship of his adoptive parents as a result of his adoption by foreigners;

3) automatic acquisition by a citizen of Ukraine of another citizenship as a result of marriage with a foreigner;

4) automatic acquisition by a citizen of Ukraine who has reached the age of majority of another citizenship as a result of the application of the legislation on citizenship of a foreign state, if such a citizen of Ukraine has not received a document confirming his citizenship of another state;

5) acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship in a simplified manner by foreigners who are citizens (subjects) of states included in the list of states whose citizens (subjects) acquire Ukrainian citizenship in a simplified manner;

6) acquisition by a citizen of Ukraine of the citizenship of the states included in the list of states whose citizens (subjects) acquire the citizenship of Ukraine in a simplified manner.

At the same time, the bill envisages instructing the Cabinet of Ministers to develop a bill on the list of states whose citizens acquire Ukrainian citizenship in a simplified manner.

The simplified procedure for acquiring the citizenship of Ukraine by foreigners who are citizens of the states included in the list of states whose citizens (subjects) acquire the citizenship of Ukraine in a simplified procedure consists in the submission by such persons during the acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship of a declaration of recognition of themselves as citizens of Ukraine.

Others must submit a declaration of renunciation of foreign citizenship and recognition of themselves only as citizens of Ukraine.

Multiple citizenship is not allowed in cases of registration of acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship or acceptance of Ukrainian citizenship, or renewal of Ukrainian citizenship for a person who is a citizen of a state recognized by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as an aggressor state or an occupying state, or a state that is not recognizes the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, or refuses to recognize the illegality of encroachments on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, in particular voted against the Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly "On the Territorial Integrity of Ukraine" dated March 27, 2014 No. 68/262.

The bill also provides for a simplified procedure for acquiring Ukrainian citizenship for persons who have made outstanding contributions to Ukraine; persons whose admission to Ukrainian citizenship is of state interest for Ukraine; persons who are undergoing or have undergone military service under a contract in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In particular, they have the right to acquire Ukrainian citizenship without certifying the level of proficiency in the state language, provided they submit an obligation to pass exams on the basics of the Constitution of Ukraine, the history of Ukraine and the level of proficiency in the state language. Such persons are obliged to master the state language at the level determined by the legislation within three years from the date of acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship.

Also, the requirement of continuous residence in the territory of Ukraine during the last five years does not apply to them.

In the explanatory note to the bill, it is noted that the concept of "multiple citizenship" is part of the national legislation of Ukraine in accordance with the European Convention on Citizenship ratified by the Law of Ukraine, which establishes the principles and rules relating to the citizenship of individuals, in particular the concept of "multiple citizenship", which means simultaneous a person's citizenship of two or more states.

It is expected that the adoption of the law will ensure the implementation of the European principles of the functioning of the institution of citizenship, will contribute to the improvement of state policy in the field of citizenship with the aim of ensuring the conditions for the return of Ukrainian citizens who were forced to leave the territory of Ukraine due to russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, and their preservation of Ukrainian citizenship.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in January, Zelenskyy already introduced a bill on the introduction of multiple citizenship to the Verkhovna Rada.

In February, the main profile committee of the Verkhovna Rada on issues of human rights, de-occupation and reintegration of temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, national minorities and international relations recommended that the parliament adopt a law the President's project on the introduction of multiple citizenship, but the Verkhovna Rada never considered it at the meeting.

According to Article 4 of the Constitution of Ukraine, there is a single citizenship in Ukraine, the grounds for acquiring and terminating Ukrainian citizenship are determined by law. Changes to the Constitution during martial law are not possible.