Spouse-of-Defender Fast-Track (Law 4191-IX)
Citizenship in Ukraine
- Eligibility
- Declaration of renunciation pathway for second spouse of UA citizen serving in Armed Forces / SBU / National Guard / Border Guard / etc.
- Timeline
- 3 years residence + 3yr marriage
- Renunciation
- Not required
Overview
Spouse-of-defender administrative pathway via Law 4191-IX — declaration of renunciation instead of standard obligation. T1+ Wartime-Active jurisdiction with Law 4502-IX of 2025-06-18 (EIF 2026-01-16) restructuring 15-scenario jus sanguinis + multi-citizenship Art 5-1 (6 cases) + simplified friendly-state procedure Art 10-1 + 1-year wartime Defender pathway Art 9 + 8 historical successor-state territorial enumeration Art 8. Konstytutsiynyi Sud apex jurisdiction; martial law continuous since Decree 64/2022 (2022-02-24); occupied-territory non-recognition regime per Law 1207-VII (Crimea + Donbas) + Law 4502-IX Article 19(1) third paragraph codification.
Constitutional Article 4 single-citizenship principle preserved; Cabinet Resolution № 1412 (5 Nov 2025) initial friendly-state list: USA + Canada + Germany + Poland + Czech Republic; Cabinet Resolution 589-2026-п (12 May 2026) under review. In UA legal relations, multi-citizen treated as UA citizen only.
How to apply
Application by foreign spouse + declaration of renunciation; spouse-of-defender qualifying status. T1+ Wartime-Active jurisdiction with Law 4502-IX of 2025-06-18 (EIF 2026-01-16) restructuring 15-scenario jus sanguinis + multi-citizenship Art 5-1 (6 cases) + simplified friendly-state procedure Art 10-1 + 1-year wartime Defender pathway Art 9 + 8 historical successor-state territorial enumeration Art 8. Konstytutsiynyi Sud apex jurisdiction; martial law continuous since Decree 64/2022 (2022-02-24); occupied-territory non-recognition regime per Law 1207-VII (Crimea + Donbas) + Law 4502-IX Article 19(1) third paragraph codification.
Procedural anchor: Decree 215/2001 (Order on Implementing Provisions of Citizenship Laws) governs application procedures; DMSU territorial offices in-country + MFA consular abroad accept applications; processing timeline 6-12 months standard / 1-3 months wartime Defender / case-by-case Presidential decree pathways. Diia portal digital submission accepted for eligible categories per Law on Public Electronic Registries.
Legal basis
Law 4191-IX of 8 January 2025 (in-force 5 August 2025) — adds new abzac to Article 1 defining 'declaration of renunciation of foreign citizenship for the second spouse of UA citizen serving in Armed Forces / SBU / National Guard / Border Guard / etc.' Distinct from Law 4502-IX multi-citizenship reform.
Competent authority
DMSU + Ministry of Defense (defender status verification) + Citizenship Commission. T1+ Wartime-Active jurisdiction with Law 4502-IX of 2025-06-18 (EIF 2026-01-16) restructuring 15-scenario jus sanguinis + multi-citizenship Art 5-1 (6 cases) + simplified friendly-state procedure Art 10-1 + 1-year wartime Defender pathway Art 9 + 8 historical successor-state territorial enumeration Art 8. Konstytutsiynyi Sud apex jurisdiction; martial law continuous since Decree 64/2022 (2022-02-24); occupied-territory non-recognition regime per Law 1207-VII (Crimea + Donbas) + Law 4502-IX Article 19(1) third paragraph codification.
DMSU (State Migration Service of Ukraine, derzhmihratsiya.gov.ua) operational lead + MFA consular offices ~100+ countries + DRACS (Department of Civil Status Acts of Justice Ministry) civil registration + Cabinet of Ministers operational regulations + Presidential Commission per Decree 215/2001 review + President formal grant per Constitution Article 106(1)(26) + Konstytutsiynyi Sud constitutional review + Verkhovna Rada legislative authority + Diia portal digital services.
Exceptions & edge cases
Scope: spouses of UA citizens serving in Armed Forces / SBU / National Guard / Border Guard / State Special Transport Service / Special Communications / State Guard / Special-purpose Law Enforcement / Intelligence Services.
Example scenarios
SPOUSE OF DEFENDER 4191 IX FAST TRACK
Eligible under Law 4191-IX administrative pathway. Declaration of renunciation of foreign citizenship for second spouse instead of standard renunciation obligation. Available in Armed Forces / SBU / National Guard / Border Guard / etc.
Informational summary compiled from primary legal sources — not legal advice. Citizenship law changes; verify with the competent authority before acting. Last verified 2026-05-15.
Track changes to this route
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