Since 2014, Ukraine has granted citizenship to 52 Belarusian volunteers
Since the beginning of Russian aggression against Ukraine, 52 Belarusian volunteers who fought on Ukraine's side have received Ukrainian citizenship. Another 22 cases of Belarusians have already been submitted for consideration by the Commission under the President of Ukraine on Citizenship Issues. This was reported by the State Migration Service of Ukraine in response to a request from the "Suspilne" publication.
Before the full-scale Russian invasion, 12 Belarusian volunteers received Ukrainian citizenship, and after February 2022, another 40.
In June 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine amended the legislation on acquiring and retaining citizenship. Conditions were simplified for foreigners serving in the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Now, to be eligible to apply for citizenship, they need to serve under contract for one year instead of the previous three.
Typically, the consideration of a citizenship application, if no additional verification is required, should take no more than eight months. However, applications from foreigners who have participated or are participating in the defense of Ukraine are considered in a priority order.
Belarusian volunteers fighting on the side of Ukraine, as well as their family members, can legalize their stay in Ukraine even with an expired Belarusian passport. They can obtain a residence permit or apply for citizenship. However, for this, they must have the original document.
The migration service notes that for many Belarusian volunteers, replacing a passport is impossible without returning to Belarus, which can be dangerous for them. At the same time, there is no clear mechanism for restoring a Belarusian passport in Ukraine yet.
To solve this problem, the State Migration Service developed a corresponding bill and submitted it to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for approval. For now, foreign military personnel who are left without their primary document can apply for refugee status or the status of a person in need of additional protection.
Additionally, from May to August 2026, 45 Belarusian citizens serving in the Ukrainian Defense Forces received temporary residence permits for the first time or upon exchange.
The recording of such documents began in May. Previously, foreign volunteers only needed a military ID and contract to confirm the legality of their stay in Ukraine. Now, all active foreign military personnel of the Ukrainian Defense Forces must undergo the legalization procedure by November 10, 2026.
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