Ukrainian rules: military service, passports, citizenship

Exit restrictions for men, military registration and Reserve+, consular services, and the 2025 dual citizenship law.

This page summarises Ukrainian rules that affect your German status. It is not advice on Ukrainian law; the Ukrainian consulates and the official sources decide.

Exit and military obligations

• According to the European Commission (proposal of 2026), men aged 25 to 60 and reservists aged 23 to 25 are not allowed to leave Ukraine; men aged 18 to 22 have been allowed to leave since August 2025. The Reserve+ app can confirm that a person is entitled to leave. Exceptions (health, family, deferral) were not checked.
• This matters in Germany: since 9 October 2026, new arrivals with military obligations must prove they have met them to use the visa-free entry rule, and the EU decision of 2026 excludes such first-time applicants from temporary protection. People who already have protection keep it. See Extensions and deadlines.

Consular services and passports

• Since 18 May 2024 men aged 18 to 60 abroad must show a military registration document (on paper or electronically, for example in Reserve+) to receive consular services such as a new passport. As reported from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, exceptions are a certificate for return to Ukraine, acts in the interest of a child whose other parent is a foreigner, and detained applicants. The full current list of rules and exceptions was not checked against the Ukrainian legal text.
• Ukraine has an Embassy in Berlin and consulates in other German cities. Locations and appointment systems were not checked; see the Embassy's website.
• Germany usually requires a valid passport for a new residence permit. Whether the LEA accepts that you cannot get a passport, and issues a substitute, is decided case by case; get advice first.

Citizenship (Law No. 4502-IX of 2025)

• In force since 16 January 2026. Toward Ukraine, a citizen who has another citizenship is treated only as a Ukrainian citizen.
• The law limits the loss of Ukrainian citizenship on voluntary acquisition of another citizenship, in particular for an aggressor or occupying state; it refers to a list of states set by the Cabinet of Ministers. Not confirmed: whether that list (Cabinet resolution No. 589 of 8 May 2026, 33 states according to press reports) also decides on loss of citizenship and not only on simplified acquisition, and whether Germany is on it. Ukrainian press reports say Germany is on the list; the resolution itself was not checked.
• German side: since 27 June 2024 Germany allows dual citizenship. See Staying long-term.