MOSCOW, April 26. /TASS/. Russia’s Federation Council (the upper house of parliament) on Wednesday approved the basic law on Russian Citizenship.
The document lowers citizenship requirements for more than 20 categories of people. In particular, it makes it possible for foreign nationals to fast-track citizenship if they sign a contract with the Russian Armed Forces for at least one year. The law also expands the conditions for terminating the citizenship of persons who acquire Russian passports.
President Vladimir Putin submitted the document to the State Duma (the lower house of parliament) on December 29, 2021. The legislation is aimed at gradually implementing Russia’s 2019-2025 Concept of State Migration Policy.
The law defines the basic principles of Russian citizenship. Thus, Russian citizenship is unified and equal, regardless of how it is obtained. Russian nationals cannot be deprived of citizenship or the right to change it. Residing overseas does not terminate one’s citizenship. In addition, Russian citizens cannot be expelled from the country or extradited to a foreign state.
Fast-track citizenship
Those who permanently reside in Russia for five years from the day they receive a Russian residence permit to the day they apply for citizenship, know the Russian language, Russian history and basic laws, and pose no threat to law and order can apply for Russian citizenship.
The law will also expand the list of those who qualify for the fast-track citizenship procedure. It will apply to over 20 categories of persons who won’t have to comply with the residence requirement or prove they know the Russian language and Russian history. These categories will include, among others, stateless persons and foreign nationals who were born or permanently resided in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic or were Soviet citizens.
Participants of the state program for the resettlement of compatriots, their family members and foreign nationals who sign contracts with the Russian Armed Forces or other military organizations for at least one year will be eligible to apply for Russian citizenship.
Termination of citizenship
According to the law, the cancellation of decisions on granting citizenship will be replaced with the loss of citizenship. Russian citizenship may be lost if an individual voluntarily renounces it, commits a crime, or it is established that the individual was granted citizenship based on forged documents. In addition, one can lose Russian citizenship if they take any action that threatens national security.
Acquired citizenship may be lost if an individual commits terror-related crimes or actions threatening national security, abets subversive activities, violates Russia’s territorial integrity, discredits its arms forces or publicly calls for extremist activities and aggressive war.
The law will come into force 180 days after the day of its official publication.