Admission to Russian citizenship: what is important for foreigners to know about the general and simplified procedure

General procedure for admission to Russian citizenship: basic requirements

The general procedure and main issues of admission to Russian citizenship are regulated by the Federal Law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation” (hereinafter referred to as the Law) and the “Regulations on the procedure for considering issues of citizenship of the Russian Federation”, approved by Presidential Decree No. 1325 - 2002 (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations).

Foreign citizens and stateless persons have the right to apply for Russian citizenship subject to the following general conditions (Article 13 of the law):

• availability of legal capacity;
• reaching the age of 18;
• residence in Russia from the date of obtaining a residence permit for five years continuously;

The period of residence is considered continuous if a person travels outside Russia for no more than three months within one year. The period of residence in Russia for persons who arrived in the Russian Federation before July 1, 2002 and do not have a residence permit is calculated from the date of registration at the place of residence;

• obligation to comply with the Constitution and legislation of Russia;
• having a legal source of livelihood;
• knowledge of Russian language;

The following are exempt from submitting documents confirming knowledge of the Russian language: men who have reached the age of 65 years, and women who have reached the age of 60 years; incapacitated persons; disabled people of group I.

The period of residence from the date of obtaining a residence permit is reduced to one year in the following cases:

• the person has high achievements in the field of science, technology and culture;
• the person has a profession or qualification that is of interest to Russia;
• granting a person political asylum on the territory of Russia;
• recognition of a person as a refugee.

A person who has special services to the Russian Federation may be granted citizenship without meeting the specified conditions.

Citizens of states that were part of the USSR, serving at least three years of military service under a contract in the RF Armed Forces, other troops or military formations, have the right to apply for Russian citizenship without complying with the conditions for the period of residence in Russia and without submitting a residence permit.

Legislative framework in force in 2021: laws, decrees, amendments

The procedure for obtaining citizenship in a simplified manner is regulated by Federal Law No. 62. Article 14 of this Law describes a simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship, as well as the reasons for acquiring citizenship under this scheme.

Latest changes in migration legislation

1. On March 18, 2021, Federal Law No. 58 came into force, canceling the requirement to undergo an interview by a special commission when confirming the status of a native speaker of the Russian language (NRL) for citizens of the Republic of Belarus and Ukraine who are fluent in Russian.
2. On April 17, 2021, Federal Law No. 134 was adopted by the State Duma and approved by the Council of Federation on amendments to Federal Law No. 62, which significantly simplifies the procedure for obtaining citizenship: https://publication.pravo.gov.ru/Document/View/0001202004240038?index=0&rangeSize= 1. All categories of applicants, without exception, are no longer required to renounce their previous citizenship and confirm their source of income. The amendments entered into force on July 24, 2020.
3. On March 29, 2021, amendments to the citizenship law came into force. You can view it here. Now the President has the right to determine the categories of foreigners who have the right to obtain Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure.
4. On April 24, 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the possibility of granting them citizenship through a simplified procedure: https://kremlin.ru/acts/news/60358. The amendments directly affected residents of the LPR and DPR. .
5. On May 1, 2021, the President of the Russian Federation signed a new Decree, which allows a wider range of applicants from Ukraine to apply for citizenship under a simplified scheme. Now Ukrainians can submit an application and documents to obtain a Russian passport at their place of residence, and not registration, as was the case before.
6. On July 17, 2021, Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 343 was issued, clarifying the list of documents required for obtaining Russian citizenship by residents of the LPR and DPR according to a simplified scheme: https://publication.pravo.gov.ru/Document/View/0001201907170036. You can view the version of the document on our website.
7. From September 1, 2021, amendments made to Federal Law No. 115 “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation” are in effect. Now renouncing Ukrainian citizenship is faster and easier. You can view the changes here.
8. On August 2, 2021, the President of the Russian Federation adopted Federal Law-257; the full text of the law can be found on the official website of the Government: https://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/44554. Now citizens of Ukraine and stateless persons permanently residing in the territory of this country, recognized as refugees or granted temporary asylum in the territory of the Russian Federation, can apply for a temporary residence permit without taking into account the quota. You can view the editorial by following the link.

For advice and assistance in preparing documents for obtaining Russian citizenship, you can contact the Migron.ru Legal Agency. Phone: +.

Simplified procedure for admission to Russian citizenship: types and conditions

To submit an application for admission to Russian citizenship in a simplified manner, there is no need to comply with certain conditions (or a set of conditions) that are provided for by the general procedure. For some people, a residence permit or knowledge of the Russian language is not required; for others, there are no conditions regarding the period of residence on the territory of the Russian Federation or the presence of a legal source of livelihood, etc. (Article 14 of the law).

The legislation in this part is quite complex, so we will conditionally divide the simplified procedure for admission to Russian citizenship into several types, depending on compliance with the conditions for residence in the territory of the Russian Federation and the period of residence.

Categories of persons defined by law have the right to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner:

• in the absence of temporary residence permit and residence permit;
• if you have a temporary residence permit, that is, without a residence permit;
• in the absence of a residence permit;
• immediately after receiving a residence permit, that is, without observing the period of residence in the territory of the Russian Federation from the date of receipt of the residence permit.

Besides,

a special simplified procedure (without complying with the general conditions for admission to Russian citizenship) is provided
for certain categories of minors and incapacitated persons.
There is also a simplified procedure for admission to Russian citizenship for humanitarian purposes.

(Article 29 of the law), established for persons listed in Presidential Decrees No. 183 and 187 - 2021.

It is important to know: the fact of temporary or permanent residence on the territory of the Russian Federation of a foreign citizen or stateless person is confirmed by his registration at the place of residence, which is carried out in the presence of a temporary residence permit or residence permit (the Migration Registration Rules were approved by Government Decree No. 9 of 2007).

Having two registrations at the same time

Modern migration legislation allows two types of registration:

1. Permanent - at your residential address.
2. Temporary – at the place of temporary stay.

The second option is limited in time. A document of such a plan is drawn up in a situation where a citizen lives in a place that differs from his permanent place for a period of 90 days. As for permanent registration, it does not have a specific set period.

Important!

The law of the Russian Federation allows you to have two options for registration at the same time - temporary and permanent by Federal Law of December 27, 2021 N 528-FZ.

Obtaining Russian citizenship without temporary residence permit and residence permit: categories of persons

There is no need to obtain a temporary residence permit or residence permit:

- disabled persons who arrived in the Russian Federation from states that were part of the USSR
and were registered at their place of residence in Russia as of July 1, 2002;
- participants of the State program
to assist the voluntary resettlement of compatriots living abroad to the Russian Federation, and members of their families registered at the place of residence in the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation chosen by them for permanent residence in accordance with the specified state program.

Participants in the state program are also exempt from the obligation to comply with the conditions regarding the period of residence in Russia from the date of receipt of a residence permit, knowledge of the Russian language and the presence of a legal source of livelihood.

Period of execution of decisions

Obtaining Russian citizenship with a temporary residence permit: who has the right to apply for citizenship

If they have a temporary residence permit and temporary registration at their place of residence on the territory of the Russian Federation, they have the right to apply for Russian citizenship:

- spouse of a citizen of the Russian Federation
living in Russia, if there are common children in the marriage;
- veterans of the Great Patriotic War
who had citizenship of the former USSR and living on the territory of the Russian Federation.

These persons do not need to obtain a residence permit. The conditions regarding the period of residence in Russia from the date of receipt of a residence permit and the availability of a legal source of livelihood also do not apply to them.

State and man

The Constitution guarantees fundamental freedoms to all citizens and additional rights:

• run for elected positions and elect worthy individuals;
• participate in public surveys and referendums;
• hold government positions.

Citizens not only have rights, but also responsibilities: military service upon conscription is the most honorable of them. There are differences in the set of privileges and responsibilities of a person with one citizenship and those with dual citizenship: the right to which is enshrined in Art. 62 of the Constitution.

There are agreements with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, a special regime with the Republic of Belarus, and a cooperation agreement with Armenia is current.

Obtaining Russian citizenship without a residence permit: to whom the rules apply

The following can apply for Russian citizenship without obtaining a residence permit:

- former citizens of the USSR
who are stateless persons with legal capacity, who lived and are living in states that were part of the USSR, and who have not received the citizenship of these states, if they filed an application for citizenship outside of Russia.

If an application is submitted on the territory of Russia, the provision of a residence permit and registration at the place of residence in the Russian Federation are mandatory, however, these persons are not subject to the conditions regarding the period of residence in Russia from the date of receipt of the residence permit and the presence of a legal source of livelihood.

Registration for money

Currently, the service of providing registration for money has become very popular. Various companies and individuals are engaged in this, advertisements of which can be found everywhere. However, it should be remembered that such fictitious registration can become a trap; enterprising scammers can simply take the money and refuse registration. To verify the authenticity of your registration, you can send a request to the migration authority, plus it is better to visit the migration authority for registration together with the owner of the home.

Residence permit without observing the period of residence in Russia as a condition for obtaining Russian citizenship

Immediately after obtaining a residence permit and permanent registration at the place of residence, that is, without complying with the conditions for the period of residence, the following categories of persons have the right to submit an application for admission to Russian citizenship:

- former citizens of the USSR
who are stateless persons who have legal capacity, who lived and are living in states that were part of the USSR, and who have not received the citizenship of these states, if the application for citizenship was submitted on the territory of Russia;
- those born on the territory of the RSFSR
and who had citizenship of the former USSR;
- citizens of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova or Ukraine; - recognized as native speakers of the Russian language,
if these persons or their relatives in a direct ascending line permanently reside or previously permanently resided in the territory of the Russian Federation or in the territory that belonged to the Russian Empire or the USSR, within the State Border of the Russian Federation;

The procedure for recognizing persons as native speakers of the Russian language is regulated by Art. 33.1 of the law and Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated April 16, 2020 N 227.

- spouse of a citizen of the Russian Federation
living in Russia, if at the time of filing the application they have been married for at least three years;
- having a legally capable son or daughter who is a citizen of the Russian Federation
and has reached the age of eighteen;
- having a child who is a citizen of the Russian Federation
- in the event that the other parent of this child, who is a citizen of the Russian Federation, has died or has been declared missing, incompetent or limited in capacity, deprived of parental rights or limited in parental rights by a court decision that has entered into legal force ;
- having a son or daughter who is a citizen of the Russian Federation,
who has reached the age of eighteen years and has been declared incompetent or limited in legal capacity by a court decision that has entered into legal force - if the other parent of these citizens of the Russian Federation, who is a citizen of the Russian Federation, has died or by a court decision, entered into legal force, is declared missing, incompetent or limited in legal capacity, deprived of parental rights or limited in parental rights;
- having at least one parent who is a citizen of the Russian Federation
and lives in Russia;
- who, after July 1, 2002, received professional education
in basic professional educational programs that have state accreditation in educational or scientific organizations of the Russian Federation on its territory and who are working in the Russian Federation for a total of at least one year before the date of application for citizenship.
Moreover, during the specified period, in relation to such foreign citizens and stateless persons, the employer must accrue insurance contributions to the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation; -individual entrepreneurs
carrying out business activities in the Russian Federation continuously for at least three years preceding the year of applying for citizenship, in the types of economic activities established by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of September 30, 2014 N 994.
Moreover, during the specified period, the amount of taxes and fees paid by such persons in each calendar year (with the exception of property tax for individuals, land tax, transport tax, state duty and refunds of amounts overpaid in accordance with the legislation on taxes and fees during the specified period and (or) excessively collected taxes and fees) and insurance contributions to the Pension Fund is at least 1 million rubles; - investors
whose share of contribution to the authorized (share) capital of a Russian legal entity operating on the territory of Russia in the types of economic activities established by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of September 30, 2014 N 994 is at least 10 percent continuously for at least three years preceding the year of circulation application for citizenship.
In this case, the amount of the authorized (share) capital of such a legal entity must be at least 100 million rubles and during the specified period the amount of taxes and fees paid by such a legal entity in each calendar year (with the exception of state duties and refunds of amounts overpaid and ( or) excessively collected taxes and fees) and insurance contributions to the Pension Fund amount to at least 6 million rubles; - those carrying out labor activities in Russia
in a profession (specialty, position) included in the List approved by Order of the Ministry of Labor of Russia dated November 25, 2019 N 734 n, at least one year before the day of applying for citizenship. Moreover, during the specified period in relation to For these persons, the employer must pay insurance contributions to the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation.

The above-mentioned persons are also not subject to the requirement of having a legal source of livelihood.

Popular mistakes related to registration of a foreigner

Along with the numerous questions that citizens of other countries have, they make various kinds of mistakes. They usually appear in the absence of preliminary questions and answers to them. To avoid encountering these common problems, it is worth considering the most important of them.

Error 1.

On the Internet, foreign citizens come across quite a lot of offers related to the provision of registration for a certain amount. They accept such offers and get fake registration.

Quite a lot of individuals and companies are engaged in providing such false services. Their advertisements can be found on every portal. It is worth understanding that such a fictitious registration can become a real trap. They take money for the service, but refuse to provide the necessary documents and stamps.

Error 2.

Even after receiving a stamp on documents and some certificates, a foreigner trusts the services received. Does not check the authenticity of the registration.

If a citizen applies to such private companies, it is imperative to check the authenticity of the documents and seals presented. To do this, you need to send a request to the official migration authority. In this case, it is advisable to visit such an organization at the same time as the homeowner.

Minors and incompetents: admission to Russian citizenship in a simplified manner

When granting Russian citizenship to minors and incompetent persons, there is no need to comply with the general conditions if the application for citizenship in respect of these persons is submitted:

-one of the child’s parents who has Russian citizenship,
with the consent of the other parent for the child to acquire Russian citizenship.
Such consent is not required if the child lives in Russia; - the only parent of the child who has Russian citizenship; - a guardian of a child, his trustee or a guardian of an incapacitated person
who is a citizen of the Russian Federation.
This rule does not apply to guardians and trustees appointed on the basis of acts on the temporary appointment of a guardian or trustee, on preliminary guardianship or trusteeship, as well as on the appointment of a guardian or trustee at the request of the parents; - the head of a Russian organization for orphans and children left without parental care,
in which the child is placed under supervision, with the exception of cases of temporary stay of the child in the organization for the purpose of receiving medical, social, educational or other services or for the purpose of ensuring the temporary residence of the child during the period when parents, adoptive parents or guardians or trustees for good reasons cannot fulfill their duties in relation to the child;
- the head of an educational organization, medical organization, organization providing social services,
or other Russian organization in which an incapacitated person is placed under supervision, with the exception of cases of temporary residence of the ward in the organization for the purpose of receiving medical, social, educational or other services or for the purpose of ensuring temporary residence of the ward during the period when the guardian or trustee, for good reasons, cannot fulfill his duties in relation to the ward.