Foreigners who participated in the protection of the territorial integrity of Ukraine will be able to obtain Ukrainian citizenship - Bohdan Drapyaty
Today, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law on the Simplified Acquisition of Citizenship of Ukraine by Foreigners and Stateless Persons Who Participated in the Protection of Territorial Integrity and Inviolability of Ukraine (Draft Law No. 5630). Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Bohdan Drapyaty reported about this on his Facebook page.
“I thank the leadership of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for including the draft law on the agenda of the final plenary week this year and to the people's deputies for the consolidated support of the government legislative initiative,” Bohdan Drapyaty noted.
The purpose of the draft law is to facilitate the acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship by foreigners who have completed or are undergoing military service under contract in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who have outstanding merits before Ukraine or whose acceptance into citizenship constitutes a state interest. In addition, the draft law provides that citizens of the Russian Federation who have been persecuted for political beliefs will be able to obtain a Ukrainian passport.
Today, such foreigners cannot fulfill their obligations - to terminate their previous citizenship, since they need to contact the embassies of their country (usually Belarus or the Russian Federation), which may pose a threat to their freedom.
At the same time, the draft law establishes certain restrictions. Persons who have committed a crime against humanity or committed genocide or committed an act in the territory of another State that is recognized by law as a serious or particularly serious crime may not be admitted to citizenship.
The Deputy Minister also said that the further implementation of the draft law will simplify the rules for acquiring citizenship by foreigners who have proven by their actions that they are worthy of the high status of a citizen of Ukraine!
Department of Communications of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
