The best countries in 2021 to obtain a residence permit and citizenship by investment

Who is eligible for simplified citizenship?

Based on Article 14 of Federal Law No. 62 “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation,” the following categories of foreigners can obtain a Russian passport:

• Those who have a father or mother who lives in the Russian Federation with permanent registration and a Russian passport.
• Possessed a USSR passport, and were registered or live in the countries of the former Union.
• They were born in the RSFSR and received a passport from the Soviet Union.
• Have been in a registered marriage with a Russian passport holder for at least 3 years.
• They have an adult, capable child with Russian citizenship, while they themselves are disabled.
• Who has an adult son or daughter with Russian citizenship, whose second parent is considered dead or missing, deprived of parental rights or declared incompetent or with limited legal capacity.
• They have an adult child, a holder of a Russian Federation passport and recognized as incompetent or limited in capacity, whose second parent is also incompetent or limited, considered dead or missing, or deprived of the rights of a parent.
• Those who received higher education after July 1, 2002, and at the same time worked in their specialty in the state for more than 3 years.
• Individual entrepreneurs. Their capital must be at least 10 million rubles.
• Those who are recognized as native speakers of the Russian language.

In addition, the following persons can apply for Russian citizenship (without obtaining a residence permit in the country):

• Veterans of the Great Patriotic War who previously had a passport of the Soviet Union. Must currently reside within the borders of Russia. An important condition for obtaining is a temporary residence permit in the country, as well as registration.
• Those who take part in the state. program for the resettlement of compatriots on a voluntary basis. You will need to renounce early citizenship, as well as obtain a residence permit in the country.
• Disabled residents of the countries of the former USSR who arrived in the country and had a residence permit on the territory of the Russian Federation.

What does Russian law say?

Does Russian legislation allow the possibility of having two passports? Let's start with the fact that there are two conventional terms: “dual citizenship” and “citizenship of two or more countries.”

• Double citizenship

Dual citizenship can be had only with those countries with which a special international treaty has been concluded. Russia has concluded such an agreement with only one country – Tajikistan.

Dual citizenship gives the right to reside in the territory of both countries with documents from either of them. These documents will have equal legal force.

However, this is most likely of interest to labor migrants from Tajikistan, who, having come to work in Russia, may not obtain Russian citizenship or a residence permit. It seems that there is hardly a queue of Russians eager to move to Tajikistan for permanent residence.

• Citizenship of two countries

All other cases fall under the term “citizenship of two countries.” This is allowed in Russia by Art. 62 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. But at the same time, for Russia you continue to be a citizen with all rights and responsibilities. But there seems to be no second citizenship on the territory of our country.

In other words, if you permanently reside in the Russian Federation, then you need to pay taxes, undergo military service, contact government agencies, move around the country, enter and leave it only with Russian documents. If you decide to enter Russia using documents from another state, then you are already a foreigner, despite your existing Russian citizenship, and you have difficulties staying in the country, working and all social rights.

Bipatrids, that is, people with two citizenships, have some other restrictions. For example, they cannot:

• enter the civil service;
• become a participant, editorial employee, founder or holder of more than 20% of the shares of a media outlet;
• become a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation and a member of the Election Commission.

It is also necessary to remember that since 2014, having received a second passport or even a residence permit in another country, you must notify your state about this in accordance with the amendments of the State Duma deputy Lugovoi to the law “On Citizenship in the Russian Federation”.

If this is not done or done at the wrong time, then the person faces at least administrative liability (fine from 500 to 1000 rubles), at maximum criminal liability (fine up to 200 thousand rubles, in the amount of wages or income for 1 year or compulsory work up to 400 hours).

Of course, if you decide to live permanently in the territory of another country, entering Russia as a foreigner, and keep your Russian passport just in case, then you can do nothing at all, and nothing will happen to you for it. However, if you entered Russia as a citizen of the Russian Federation, then be kind enough to notify the Russian authorities within 30 days that you have a second passport. If you permanently reside in Russia, then the notification must be submitted within 60 days.

Procedure

2019 brought virtually no changes to the process of issuing citizenship under a simplified procedure. The differences from the algorithm of actions in 2018 are minimal. The receipt scheme looks like this:

1. The first step is to legally cross the borders and enter Russian territory.
2. Obtain a migration card from customs officers.
3. Check in.
4. Mark your arrival on the territory of the Russian Federation.
5. Submit documents for a residence permit.
6. Obtain consent to provide a temporary residence permit.
7. Submit a document to the migration service, which will confirm the legality of your stay on the territory of the Russian Federation.
8. Submit all documents to obtain a Russian passport. The papers are submitted to the territorial department of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
9. Fill out an application for citizenship, receive a receipt for payment of the state fee and pay it.
10. Submit a receipt and application, and then wait for consideration and a decision.
11. If the answer is positive, receive a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.

Note! To find a job, it is not necessary to wait until the end of the procedure and obtaining Russian citizenship. A person can get a job immediately after receiving a residence permit.

Registration deadlines

The time required to obtain Russian citizenship under the simplified procedure is shorter than under the general procedure. For comparison: under normal conditions, a foreigner will need to live in the state for at least 5 years, constantly renewing his residence permit, after which he will have to wait about a year for the consideration of his application for citizenship. The simplified procedure will take less than one year, and the period for consideration of the application by migration services will be about six months.

The processing time under the simplified procedure can be further reduced. This will happen if the applicant for Russian citizenship under the simplified procedure is a citizen of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan. The fact is that an international agreement was concluded between these three countries and the Russian Federation, and the registration period will be 3 months. However, with this method of obtaining a Russian passport, refusals are common for the following reasons:

• Advocates for changes to the Constitution of the Russian Federation by force.
• Participation in international, interethnic or military actions directed against Russia.
• Participation in the preparation or conduct of illegal actions in which extremist trends were discovered.
• There is a restriction on entry into the country due to deportation or administrative expulsion.
• Use of fake documents during registration.
• Being in the military service of another country.
• Having a criminal record – outstanding or unexpunged.
• Wanted for crimes.
• Serving a sentence - imprisonment.

Note! If the reason for the refusal has been eliminated, you can try to appeal it. The most effective way to appeal is a statement of claim filed in court. The claim must be filed no later than three months from the date of receipt of the refusal. The period for consideration of the claim will be two months. If the court finds the refusal unlawful, the migration service will be obliged to prove its validity.

Required documents

To obtain a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, the applicant will need to complete and collect the following package of documents:

• Application for Russian citizenship, in two copies.
• Applicant's identity card.
• A notarized copy of the applicant's residence permit.
• Formalized renunciation of citizenship in the previous country, two copies.
• Receipt for payment of state duty.
• Birth certificate.
• If available, marriage certificate.
• Photos of the applicant. 3 pieces, measuring 3x4 centimeters.
• Certificate of education - certificate, diploma, certificate, etc.
• If you changed your first or last name in the past, provide documents confirming this fact.
• Certificate confirming the presence of an official source of income on the territory of the Russian Federation.
• If there are children, their birth certificates.
• Confirmation of knowledge of the Russian language - a certificate of the Russian Federation, an exam certificate, etc.

In general order

If the applicant for a Russian passport does not have reasons for obtaining one under the simplified procedure, the general procedure will be applied. There are few differences from the simplified method, and they are expressed as follows:

• It takes twice as long to process the application. The period is about one year.
• Permanent residence in the Russian Federation is required. The minimum period of residence is five years.
• The decision on the submitted application is made by the president.

Even taking into account the six-year period and other difficulties of the procedure, there are still many people who want to obtain Russian citizenship. After all, the conditions remain feasible, and everyone can achieve what they want.

Simplified procedure

If the applicant meets the conditions, he will be able to use the simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship. However, here you can make a mistake when collecting documents. Some of them need to be certified by a notary, which is often forgotten. This applies to booms:

• A copy of the marriage certificate.
• A copy of the birth certificate.

In addition, you need to ask the migration service employee in more detail about all the nuances of the procedure. It is possible that the current situation may have its own unique requirements, which is often to simplify the order. This will help avoid further mistakes and problems with acquiring citizenship.

Program to promote the voluntary resettlement of compatriots

If a person receives a passport under the resettlement assistance program, he must additionally provide evidence of participation in it. If the applicant is a family member of the holder of this certificate, then a copy of it is provided.

Russian speakers

This category of applicants, in addition to other documents, is additionally required to provide a document confirming recognition as a native speaker. The carrier also submits a document from his former state, which confirms the renunciation of citizenship.

Minor children

For a child under 18 years of age, you must provide the following documents:

• Residence permit for a child.
• Permission for temporary residence in the country.
• Residence permit and residence permit for each parent.
• Confirmation of registration in the Russian Federation. They can serve as a copy of an apartment card or an extract from the house register.
• Documents for identification.
• Notifications about the fact of crossing the borders of Russia by a foreign citizen.

Note! If during the procedure the child turns 18 years old and has at least one parent with Russian citizenship, then it is necessary to additionally submit a Russian passport.

Adult foreigners who are considered legally capable, living on the territory of the Russian Federation with a residence permit and having a child with a Russian passport can also apply for citizenship of the Russian Federation. Here, the important documents will be the child’s birth certificate and passport.

Reasons for receiving

To obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner, you must belong to one of the categories of persons. We can identify the most significant categories of persons who have the ability to undergo such a procedure:

1. One of the parents is a citizen of the Russian Federation and lives in the country.
2. Persons who do not have citizenship and live in one of the countries of the former USSR.
3. Native speaker.
4. Citizens of the USSR who participated in the Second World War.
5. Those who have been registered since 07/01/02 in the Russian Federation and are incapacitated.
6. According to the program for the voluntary resettlement of compatriots or family members.

Compliance with certain conditions:

• marriage to a citizen of the country for at least three years;
• citizenship of the USSR or RSFSR and birth in this territory;
• incapacity and adult children living in the country.

How to write an application in 2021

In 2021, the application form, approved back in 2002, changed according to Presidential Decree No. 1325 and the law on citizenship (and on the simplified procedure) - Federal Law of December 27, 2018 No. 544-FZ. The changes turned out to be significant.

The application must be completed in two copies. It must be submitted to the territorial migration service. It is allowed to submit to the consulate of the Russian Federation if the applicant for Russian citizenship is outside the country.

The language of the application is exclusively Russian. It is written in the name of the head of the migration authority or consular service. The application can be filled out either by hand or using a computer. Handwriting must be legible, and computer fonts can be made bold and/or italicized for clearer transmission.

For some reasons, an application may be rejected:

• If the signature was placed on the application before it was submitted.
• Before submission, photographs were pasted into it.
• There are typos, traces of crossing out or covering up.

The header of the application consists of the full name of the state body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Next, on the form, the required basis for obtaining Russian citizenship is selected, and the rest should be crossed out. You must also indicate your motivation for obtaining a passport as a citizen of the Russian Federation.

After this, the applicant's data is written:

• FULL NAME.
• Date and place of his birth.
• Floor.
• Current citizenship (if absent, this is indicated).
• Nationality.
• Data on renunciation of current citizenship.
• Education.
• Family status.
• Information about relatives.
• Sources of income.
• Information about place of residence.
• Knowledge of Russian language.

Note! Information about the applicant’s military service, as well as if he is wanted for criminal violations and whether he was deported from Russia, must be described.

Then the data from the documents attached to the application is indicated, for example, the applicant’s residence permit number, place of residence, etc. The list of documents is also indicated in the space provided on the forms.

Documents will be submitted only after the application has been completed and together with a receipt - a certificate of payment of the state fee. If any of the conditions are violated, further problems with making a decision on citizenship cannot be avoided.

When submitting documents, photographs are also subject to conditions that must be met. The number of photographs depends on the procedure by which the applicant will receive Russian citizenship. If received under the simplified procedure, you will need to submit three photographs, and with the general procedure - four. If a passport is issued for a minor child, then two photos are provided.

The remaining conditions for the photo are as follows:

• Size – 3x4 centimeters.
• They can be either color or black and white.
• Photos must be of good quality so that the applicant can be easily identified.
• The person in the photo must be without a headdress. There is one exception - if the headdress cannot be removed for religious reasons.
• The applicant's face must be centered in the frontal photograph. You cannot turn or tilt your head. The facial expression is natural, a smile is not appropriate.
• Glasses in the photo are also prohibited, but with exceptions. They can only be left if they are necessary for medical reasons, or are a mandatory part of the applicant's appearance.
• Photo paper must be in neat condition - no wrinkles or dirt allowed.
• Retouching is prohibited.
• The background for the photograph should not be too dark. Otherwise, the photos will be returned and new ones will have to be taken.

Migration service departments usually have their own photo salons, where they can take photographs exactly according to the rules. This is especially convenient when photographing children - since their appearance changes quickly and imperceptibly, it is better to take photos as late as possible.

The application and photographs, as well as other documents when applying for citizenship of the Russian Federation, must be taken seriously and responsibly. This will save the applicant from unexpected problems and prevent him from wasting precious time correcting his own mistakes.

The procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship according to a simplified scheme

Thus, obtaining Russian citizenship using a simplified scheme significantly reduces the time it takes to obtain a Russian passport ; there is no need to first obtain a residence permit or temporary residence permit in the Russian Federation.
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Russian citizenship exam

To obtain a Russian passport, any foreign person will need to pass the state language test well. But the exam is conducted not only on this topic - you need to show your knowledge of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the history of the country.

There is no need to show deep historical knowledge - it will be enough to answer simple questions about the times of the USSR, the 18th-19th centuries and Kievan Rus. You need to focus more on your level of Russian language proficiency. At the end of the examination process, the applicant will be given a certificate with the results, which is attached to the list of documents.

Without successfully passing the national language proficiency exam, no application from a foreigner will be approved. Educational institutions have the right to conduct testing, but only those included in the list of Min. Education of the Russian Federation.

Note! There is a fee for taking the exam. Before this you need to register for the passage. The cost of citizenship tests in 2021 is 6 thousand rubles.

The minimum number of points you need to score to pass is 65 percent. Those who score less than a percentage do not receive a certificate of successful completion of the exam. Such individuals will have to register, pay for government services, and be tested again.

Requirements for the applicant

In addition to the main categories of persons who have the right to undergo a simplified method of obtaining citizenship, other categories can also receive it subject to certain rules:

• marriage with a citizen for three years;
• birth on the territory of the USSR;
• minor children living in other countries and having the status of disabled people;
• a parent whose child was left without a second parent for various reasons;
• labor activity for at least three years in the country with education after 2002;
• running a business for more than three years with a profit of at least 10 million rubles (certain activities required, provided for by the relevant bill);
• high professional qualifications and work for three years from the date of application;
• investment activity with a turnover of more than one hundred million rubles and at least 10% of investments in the country’s economy (an alternative is possible in the form of tax deductions amounting to at least six million).

Who does not need to take the Russian language test?

There are people who will not need to take Russian language tests. These include:

• Holders of secondary education who received it in the Soviet Union before its collapse (1991).
• Those who received secondary education in the Russian Federation itself, or in another country. Only if Russian is registered as the state language.

Therefore, for example, citizens of Belarus do not have to pass this language test to obtain a Russian passport. And in the list of documents for submission, it will be enough for them to justify the fact of their citizenship and/or education.

In addition, the following categories of persons are not allowed to undergo testing:

• Men aged 65 years and older.
• Women aged 60 years and older.
• People with first degree disabilities.
• Incapacitated.

All other applicants for citizenship will have to take an exam.