Gay soldier reveals sham marriage and five-year legal limbo to gain Ukrainian citizenship
A gay soldier of the Ukrainian Defense Forces revealed how legal loopholes and bureaucratic hurdles compelled him to enter a sham marriage to obtain Ukrainian citizenship, in an interview published by NV on Aug. 17.
A Ukrainian gay soldier sought asylum in Ukraine after fleeing persecution in Central Asia due to his sexuality and support for Ukraine. He was granted asylum and a temporary identification document, but faced legal limbo for five years. The soldier's inability to prove Ukrainian descent through family records led him to enter a sham marriage with a female Ukrainian citizen to obtain citizenship.
The State Migration Service required a two-year marriage before naturalization, which he managed by living separately from his wife while maintaining their union. Once the two-year period ended, he received his Ukrainian passport after a lengthy bureaucratic process.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
