Trends & Patterns in Ukrainian Migration Legislation in 2026

Every single year, migration law quietly shapes the lives of thousands of people who have chosen Ukraine — to work here, fight for it, report on it, or simply build a life here. This year, 2026, these choices are more consequential than ever, and the law is finally starting to catch up.

What makes migration clients different from others is the particular urgency of their situation. A visa denied, a permit delayed, a law misapplied — and a person can no longer stay in the country they have committed themselves to. Borders are crossed not just by passports, but by people with complex lives, plans, and a genuine stake in Ukraine’s future.

Based on our experience, the most common migration statuses today are temporary residence, immigration, and obtaining Ukrainian citizenship. In classic cases, foreigners planning to stay in Ukraine for an extended period, beyond mere tourism, typically apply for a temporary residence permit. Those with more long-term plans aim to secure permanent residency. Temporary residence remains the primary option for individuals intending to stay in Ukraine for purposes other than short-term visits, including volunteers, employees of international organizations, foreign workers, and family members of Ukrainian residents. Permanent residence is typically pursued by those with long-term intentions, including investors and individuals with established personal or professional ties to Ukraine.

In 2026, Ukrainian migration law demonstrates a clear tendency towards adaptability and functional responsiveness. Adopted legislative amendments reflect the state’s effort to balance national security considerations with humanitarian obligations, economic sustainability, and international cooperation. The legal regulation of migration processes has expanded to cover a number of strategically important areas, including the facilitation of humanitarian assistance, the legal status of foreign nationals serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the attraction of foreign labor to ease workforce shortages, and the promotion of foreign investment through simplified immigration mechanisms.

Humanitarian workers: a clearer path forward

Since the outbreak of the full-scale war in 2022, we have been approached constantly by foreigners from all corners of the world who are eager to help the Ukrainian nation: from purchasing and distributing humanitarian aid to vulnerable groups and/or those affected by the war, to providing assistance in training our medical specialists to ensure high-quality care for patients who have lost limbs.

In 2026, Law of Ukraine No. 4816-IX «On Amendments to Section IV «Final Provisions» of the Law of Ukraine «On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons» regarding the suspension of visa requirements for certain categories of foreigners and stateless persons for the duration of martial law,» the requirement to obtain a type D visa for the issuance of a temporary residence permit was abolished. This simplification applies during martial law and for one year after its termination. This will significantly ease the process for those inviting them to Ukraine.

Foreign fighters: from legal limbo to recognition

Previous legislation defined a foreign national’s military ID as a document, that proves legal residence in Ukraine.

Under the provisions of the Law of Ukraine № 3897-IX On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Legal Status and Medical Care of Military Personnel Who Are Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons, foreigners serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, or the National Guard of Ukraine will be required to obtain a temporary residence permit.

In addition, issuing temporary residence permits to foreign nationals who have signed a contract to serve in the Ukrainian army will enable them free access to banking, notary, medical, and other social services.

For this category of individuals and their family members (spouses, children, parents), certain simplifications are provided for obtaining a temporary residence permit. There is no requirement to obtain a type D visa, and it is possible to submit a passport that has expired if the individual needs to contact government authorities of a country that has committed an act of armed aggression against Ukraine.

The list of grounds for obtaining an immigration permit has been expanded. Now, a foreign military servicemen may obtain an immigration permit if their period of military service in Ukraine is at least one year from the start of the full-scale war. The spouse, children and parents of a deceased foreign military personnel are also eligible for an immigration permit. Additionally, the number of documents required to apply for an immigration permit for this category of individuals has been reduced.

Prior to this reform, the bar for foreign servicemen was significantly higher: obtaining an immigration permit required three years of service. In practice, even an early discharge on medical grounds rarely met the legal threshold, since injuries were seldom documented in the manner required by law, and the vast majority of servicemen were discharged as voluntary resignations. The result was that many foreign nationals who had genuinely committed to defending Ukraine were left in legal uncertainty about their future here. Since the new one-year requirement came into force, many foreign combatants have received a chance to build their future in Ukraine.

The labor gap: no easy fix in sight

The strengthening of Ukraine’s defense capabilities through an increase in the personnel of the Defense Forces does have its consequences: the labor market is experiencing a critical shortage of specialists. This demand is being partially met by attracting foreign professionals. The number of employers seeking foreign workers, sometimes entire teams, as we have seen, is growing to avoid future personnel shortages due to conscription. This applies to both managerial positions and skilled labor jobs.

However, hiring foreign workers is a complex and costly process. It requires interaction with the tax authorities, employment centers, migration service and other institutions, demanding significant resources, time, and funds. Therefore, even with the prospect of more such cases, this solution is unlikely to fully compensate for the labor market shortfall in the future.

Investing in Ukraine: a growing trend

The economic strengthening of Ukraine has been a topic of active discussion since 2022. For foreigners who invest at least USD 100,000 in the Ukrainian economy, the Law of Ukraine No.2491-III On Immigration provides the opportunity to obtain a permanent residence permit.

Despite a rather cautious approach on the part of regional branches of the State Migration Service, this procedure has become an established practice and a valuable opportunity for the state to attract additional financial inflows. It is also appealing to foreigners, as making such an investment ensures them permanent residence in Ukraine if certain conditions are met.

The increasing number of applications for such golden-passport-like immigration confirms a positive trend and it is likely to grow.

Multiple citizenship: a law passed, but hurdles remain

The constitutional principle of single citizenship in Ukraine precludes the existence of citizenship of Ukraine’s administrative-territorial units and recognizes a person in legal relations with Ukraine solely as a citizen of Ukraine.

This provision was for a long time interpreted as prohibiting Ukrainians from holding citizenship of any other foreign state. It’s worth noting that Ukrainian legislation does not explicitly prohibit holding the citizenship of another state.

The mass exodus of Ukrainians abroad following the outbreak of full-scale war has prompted lawmakers to consider implementing legitimate measures to preserve the nation. Legalizing multiple citizenship will allow millions of Ukrainians who have left the country to obtain legal status in their host countries without severing ties with Ukraine.

This will further ensure legal certainty for Ukrainians all over the world. Ukrainian citizens abroad can be confident that all their civil rights as Ukrainians remain intact.

However, not all foreigners can acquire Ukrainian citizenship without having to renounce their current citizenship.

A specific list of countries was approved by Resolution №. 1412 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated November 5, 2025. These countries include the United States, Canada, Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic.

But in practice this particular reform has had a more limited impact than many hoped. The list of countries whose nationals may hold Ukrainian citizenship without renouncing their own is a short one.  Nationals of all other states face the same dilemma as before. The second major obstacle is the examination requirement: in nearly all citizenship categories, applicants must pass tests on the Ukrainian language, constitution, and history. In our experience, approximately 90% of otherwise qualified candidates from our practice have abandoned or deferred their applications at this stage. The law is on the books — but for most of our clients, the door remains only half-open.

Law of Ukraine № 4502-IX On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Implementation of the Right to Acquire and Retain Ukrainian Citizenship also expanded the list of: cases in which multiple citizenship will be recognized (e.g., a child simultaneously acquiring Ukrainian citizenship and the citizenship of another state by birth), grounds for acquiring Ukrainian citizenship by birth (e.g., a person born within or outside Ukraine to foreign parents who were permanently residing in Ukraine and who has not acquired any citizenship) and by territorial origin (e.g., a person born after August 24, 1991, to foreign parents who were permanently residing in Ukraine at the time of the person’s birth).

It should also be noted that the process of acquiring Ukrainian citizenship is unreasonably long. According to our observations, individuals who submitted applications for Ukrainian citizenship in 2017 are still awaiting the outcome of their applications.

Foreign journalists: Ukraine’s story needs tellers

Media coverage of events unfolding in Ukraine during the war is more important and necessary than ever. This is especially true when these events are covered by a foreign journalist whom an international audience reads, listens to, and trusts. Therefore, inviting foreign media outlets into Ukraine is of the utmost importance.

However, unfortunately, for a long time, Ukrainian lawmakers, to put it bluntly, did not facilitate a clear regulation of the procedure for obtaining temporary residence permits for foreign journalists. There was a gap regarding the central executive’s authority being responsible for processing applications for the issuing of temporary residence permits in Ukraine for foreign journalists.

This authority has been vested in the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine since November 2025

Until this clarification was made, the consequences of the regulatory gap were real. Over the past year alone, we have worked with five foreign journalists from international publications who found themselves in legal limbo — their residence status uncertain, their ability to work in Ukraine legally unclear. Fortunately, the situation has since been resolved, and we are now processing their documentation. Yet even under the new framework, a significant practical hurdle remains: the temporary residence permit application must be filed by the foreign publication, not the journalist. Many outlets are reluctant to take this step, particularly where their correspondent works as a freelancer, or where they are concerned about formal liability in the event of deportation. Ukraine needs these voices. The paperwork should not stand in the way.

The changes we have seen in Ukrainian migration law in 2026 are meaningful — and they affect real people in our practice. Foreign servicemen can now build a lawful future in Ukraine after one year of service, not three years. Volunteers and humanitarian workers can arrive without a visa. Foreign journalists finally have a clear authority to approach. These are not small steps. At the same time, the obstacles that remain — an overly narrow list of countries for multiple citizenship recognition, language and history examination requirements that stop most applicants in their tracks, publishers’ reluctance to take on the administrative burden for their journalists — remind us that good law on paper does not always mean accessible law in practice. As lawyers working in this area every day, we see both sides of that equation clearly. The work is not finished.