Ukraine has significantly broadened the list of countries whose citizens may acquire Ukrainian citizenship through a simplified procedure, while also formally accepting the possibility of dual citizenship with those states. The move marks a huge shift in Kyiv’s long-standing approach to multiple citizenship and could have important consequences for ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine’s Transcarpathian region.
Under Ukrainian government resolution No. 589, adopted on 8 May 2026, Hungary has now been included among the countries whose nationals may benefit from the updated rules. Previously, the arrangement applied only to five states: Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, the United States and Canada, according to Kárpáti Igaz Szó.
The newly expanded list now includes 29 countries, among them Hungary and Romania, alongside numerous European Union and European Economic Area member states.
Major change for ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine
The decision is particularly significant for the estimated 100,000 ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine, most of whom reside in the Transcarpathian region. For years, many members of the Hungarian minority quietly obtained Hungarian citizenship and passports, despite Ukraine’s traditionally restrictive stance on dual nationality.
Although dual citizenship was not officially recognised, Ukrainian authorities often continued treating such individuals as Ukrainian citizens in practice. The new regulation now provides a clearer legal framework and may reduce fears of administrative penalties or loss of Ukrainian legal status.
According to explanations published by the Democratic Federation of Hungarians in Ukraine, Ukrainian citizens who already possess — or intend to acquire — citizenship of one of the approved countries will no longer automatically risk losing their Ukrainian citizenship.
The regulation also means that Ukraine now officially acknowledges the possibility of multiple citizenship with the listed states, and applicants will not need to go through procedures to renounce their Ukrainian nationality.
Ukrainian citizens still treated primarily as Ukrainian
Despite the change, the new rules do not fundamentally alter how Ukraine treats dual nationals within its own legal system. Individuals holding both Ukrainian and Hungarian citizenship will still primarily be regarded as Ukrainian citizens while inside Ukraine.
This means Ukrainian laws and obligations remain applicable, including taxation, military service obligations and legal responsibilities.
The issue is especially sensitive for military-age men during wartime. Ukrainian border guards may continue checking military registration documents for men aged between 18 and 60, and a Hungarian passport alone does not automatically exempt someone from mobilisation-related restrictions or travel limitations.
The reports also stress that dual nationals may still be required to use their Ukrainian passports when entering or leaving Ukraine, even if they also possess Hungarian travel documents.
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Political signal towards the European Union
Analysts cited by regional media also interpret the move as a broader political message towards the European Union and Ukraine’s ongoing integration efforts with Europe.
By expanding recognition of dual citizenship to most EU member states, Kyiv appears to be moving away from its previously exclusionary approach and aligning more closely with European legal and political norms.
The decision could also help normalise the legal status of many Ukrainians who relocated abroad following the outbreak of the war and have since obtained citizenship in European countries while wishing to maintain their ties to Ukraine.
Full list of newly included countries
In addition to Hungary, the expanded list includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, Greece, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Croatia, Switzerland and Sweden.
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