Kremin: The law on multiple citizenship provides for a mandatory language proficiency exam

Kremin: The law on multiple citizenship provides for a mandatory language proficiency exam

The Law on Multiple Citizenship, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada, stipulates that all foreigners wishing to become citizens of Ukraine must pass an exam in the Ukrainian language.

This was reported by the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, Taras Kremin.

"At the stage of reviewing the draft law, Taras Kremin sent detailed remarks to the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada. They concerned the inadmissibility of proposals to grant foreigners citizenship of Ukraine in a simplified manner — without prior passing of exams in the knowledge of the state language, the Constitution, and the history of Ukraine," informed the commissioner’s press service.

In the final version of the document, it was possible to maintain the requirement for mandatory knowledge of the state language at a level not lower than B1 for everyone wishing to become citizens of Ukraine.

This level allows a person to fully communicate, receive services, participate in public life, and exercise electoral rights, the ombudsman noted.

Furthermore, the existing requirement was retained: foreigners who have significant merits before Ukraine (including military contract soldiers) can obtain citizenship without taking the language exam but must pass it within a specified period.

"The Ukrainian language is the foundation of civic identity. The new edition of the law allows maintaining unity, avoiding discriminatory norms, and preventing linguistic disintegration that could arise from unjustified exceptions for certain categories of foreigners," stated Taras Kremin.