SIMFEROPOL, March 28. /ITAR-TASS/. Most Crimeans are expected to receive Russian passports within 3 months.

Residents in the Republic of Crimea may receive Russian passports later than 3 months after the referendum, as the work to issue passports will continue, but the Russian Federal Migration Service believes an overwhelming majority of the population will receive Russian passports within 3 months, Federal Migration Service (FMS) deputy head Anatoly Fomenko says.

All Ukrainian citizens and people without citizenship permanently residing in Crimea and Sevastopol as of March 18, 2014 are recognized as citizens of the Russian Federation, except those who state within the month after March 18 that they want to remain citizens of Ukraine or have no citizenship. Crimean residents will not pay fees for Russian passports until January 1, 2015.