Double citizenship in the Russian Federation?

28.05.2014

Today, the Federation Council approved the Federal Law "On Amendments to Articles 6 and 30 of the Federal Law "On Citizenship of the Russian Federation" relating to double citizenship, which creates criminal liability for Russians in case of concealment of double citizenship.

New article is going to oblige all Russian citizens with a second nationality or residence permit in a foreign country to notify in writing the Federal Migration Authority within two months from the date of acquisition of foreign citizenship. For failure to fulfill this requirement will be introduced the criminal fine up to 200 thousand rubles or in the amount of income for the period up to a year or compulsory work for a period of up to 400 hours.

At the same time such criminal liability will be imposed only in the absence of notification about acquiring of foreign citizenship. In case when the notice will be filed not on time, with gaps or deliberate misrepresentations, the administrative fine ranging from 500 to 1 thousand rubles will be imposed.

Based on:

http://asozd2.duma.gov.ru/main.nsf/%28SpravkaNew%29?OpenAgent&RN=485228-6&02

Expert’s opinion

In the near future the law will come into force. And now it already has a huge public reaction. Over the last decade, the amount of citizens who obtained a residence permit abroad, increase significantly. Several countries have introduced programs that allow (like, for example, in Latvia) with the acquisition of real estate to obtain a residence permit. And this already means living in the EU, visa-free regime in the Schengen zone, the opportunity for children to obtain an education abroad and other attractions. It is possible that the new law will decrease the amount of Russian’s emigration. Moreover, now it is much easier than in the 90s.

It id difficult to understand the social danger of acquiring a second citizenship. But there is no talk about acquiring of Russian citizenship.

There are a lot of our citizens who have a residence permit in Latvia, Bulgaria, Germany, UK. They permanently reside outside Russia. How should they notify their native Federal Migration Authority? Registered letter? This is not mentioned in legislation. While as we can see penalties are not symbolic.

Irina Lomakina ( Director of the Moscow Office, Honest&Bright)