Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed an order "On amendments to Ukraine's presidential order dated March 27, 2001, No 215" changing the procedure to obtain Ukrainian citizenship, the website of the head of state said.

The document regulates the simplified procedure for the acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship by foreigners and stateless persons serving in Ukraine's Armed Forces. The required term of continuous legal stay on Ukraine's territory was reduced from five to three years, starting from the date the military contract commenced.

Earlier Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada adopted a bill 'On amendments to Article 9 of the law on citizenship of Ukraine", which set forth the need to change the procedure for the acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship.

The order is takes effect on the date it is published.

As reported, in November 2015 Poroshenko signed a bill allowing foreigners to serve on a contract basis in Ukraine's Armed Forces and other military units.