All news

Putin introduces criminal responsibility for concealing second citizenship

Those failing to comply with the new requirements will be fined up to 200,000 rubles ($5,700)

MOSCOW, June 04.  /ITAR-TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed amendments to the law On Citizenship of the Russian Federation that introduce criminal responsibility for Russians who conceal that they have another country’s citizenship, the legal information website reported Wednesday.

The document was adopted by the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, on May 23 and approved by the Federation Council, the upper house, on May 28.

The amendments oblige Russians who also have other countries’ citizenship to notify, in written form, the Federal Migration Service’s territorial body within 60 days since the citizenship's acquisition.

The only exception is made for “Russian nationals constantly living outside of the Russian Federation, having also another citizenship or residence permit or another document confirming the right to permanently live in a foreign state”.

Those failing to comply with the new requirements will be fined up to 200,000 rubles ($5,700) or made to undergo compulsory community service.