A foreign Ukrainian is a person who is a citizen of another country or a stateless person, and who has Ukrainian ethnic origin or originates from Ukraine.
The decision to grant, deny, or revoke the status of a foreign Ukrainian is made by the National Commission on Foreign Ukrainians, which is established under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. If the decision is positive, the Commission issues the person a certificate of a standard format.
☝️ The foreign Ukrainian certificate is a document certifying this status, but it does not replace a passport. It is issued for 10 years and is subject to renewal.
Having the status of a foreign Ukrainian grants the following benefits:
👨🎓 eligibility to receive higher education funded by the state budget of Ukraine within the set quotas;
✈️ the right to obtain a free multiple-entry visa to Ukraine for up to 5 years without needing an invitation (for citizens of countries with which Ukraine has a visa regime);
🏠 the opportunity to immigrate to Ukraine for permanent residence, obtaining an immigration permit outside of the quota.
A foreign Ukrainian legally residing in Ukraine enjoys the same rights and freedoms, and bears the same responsibilities as a Ukrainian citizen, except as otherwise provided by the Constitution, laws of Ukraine, or international treaties ratified by the Verkhovna Rada.
According to Article 3 of the Law of Ukraine “On Foreign Ukrainians,” foreigners and stateless persons of Ukrainian descent who are at least 16 years old and are not citizens of Ukraine have the right to obtain this status and certificate.
To acquire this status, a person submits a written application to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) or its representative office in Ukraine, or to a Ukrainian diplomatic mission abroad.
According to Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine “On Foreign Ukrainians,” the application must include:
📄 passport or equivalent document;
📄 copies of documents proving Ukrainian origin (birth certificates, proof of residence in Ukraine, and others if needed);
📷 two color photographs sized 30×40 mm;
💵 receipt of payment for services related to issuing the certificate.
According to Article 9 of the Law, enrollment of foreign Ukrainians into Ukrainian higher education institutions funded by the state is carried out:
1️⃣ within quotas set for the Ministry of Education and Science (or with consent of other ministries for non-MoES institutions, except for medical ones);
2️⃣ based on interview results in subjects defined by the institution’s admission rules;
3️⃣ in accordance with international education agreements with the foreign Ukrainian’s country of citizenship;
4️⃣ upon recommendation from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
