How can a LPR citizen obtain Russian citizenship in 2021?

Latest changes in the law on citizenship of the Russian Federation in 2021

In 2020-2021, there were several changes in Russian legislation that allow residents of the DPR and LPR to obtain Russian citizenship under a simplified scheme without obtaining a temporary residence permit or residence permit.

On November 4, 2021, a new decree 665 of the President of the Russian Federation was signed, according to which all holders of DPR and LPR passports can apply for Russian citizenship in a simplified manner. Having a Ukrainian passport is no longer a prerequisite for submitting documents.

Documents for obtaining a Russian passport can be submitted at your place of residence in the Lugansk or Donetsk Republic.

1. On April 24, 2021, the President of Russia signed the Decree https://kremlin.ru/acts/news/60358. It talks about the possibility of obtaining citizenship in a simplified manner for residents of a number of regions of the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, bypassing the registration of a temporary residence permit and residence permit.
2. On December 29, 2021, Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1744 came into force, according to which for Ukrainians living in the territory of the LPR and DPR, the period of temporary stay was increased to 180 days.
3. In April 2021, the President of the Russian Federation canceled the fee for considering cases of acquisition of citizenship for residents of the Lugansk and Donetsk republics. In 2021, the period of stay in Russia was increased for residents of these republics from 90 to 180 days. The procedure for renewing the registration of DPR citizens in Russia has also been simplified.
4. 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/. Most categories of applicants now do not have to renounce their previous citizenship and comply with the 5-year residence requirement. The amendments entered into force on July 24, 2020.
5. 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 https://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/44554. Now citizens of Ukraine and stateless persons permanently residing in the territory of this country can apply for a temporary residence permit without taking into account the quota. You can view the editorial by following the link.

On March 29, 2021, amendments to the Federal Law No. 62 “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation” came into force. Now participants in the Compatriots program can submit documents to obtain Russian citizenship at their place of residence, rather than registration. The president also received the right to grant any categories of foreign citizens the opportunity to obtain citizenship under a simplified scheme.

You can download here Federal Law of December 27, 2018 N 544-FZ “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”.

Legislation

The main legislative act regulating issues of registration of citizenship is Federal Law No. 62-FZ of May 31, 2002. It explains in detail the grounds on which citizenship can be obtained, how the procedure is carried out in a simplified manner and who has the right to do so:

Important! There is no agreement between Russia and Ukraine allowing citizens to have dual citizenship. From September 1, 2017, there is no longer a need to notify the migration authorities of Kyiv about the renunciation of citizenship: it is written down in the application during the procedure for obtaining a Russian passport.

Citizenship Application

“Previously, it was necessary to obtain certificates of renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship, and the Kyiv authorities were very reluctant to give them. We decided to simplify the whole process for our neighbors, and now it is enough just to provide confirmation that the Ukrainian migration authorities have been notified of the desire to renounce citizenship.”

President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin

Obtaining citizenship under a simplified scheme for residents of the LPR and DPR

The provisions providing for a simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship have been in effect since April 2021; on July 24, 2021, a new law on Russian citizenship came into force, which further simplified the procedure for some categories of people.

1. Residents of the DPR and LPR can obtain Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure, without obtaining a residence permit or temporary residence permit.
2. They can apply for a Russian passport in Russia, as well as in the Lugansk and Donetsk republics.
3. The application must be submitted in person. A person must reside in the Donetsk or Lugansk region as of April 7, 2021, and have a document confirming this or a registration mark in the passport.
4. The period for consideration of an application for obtaining Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure is up to 3 months.
5. On November 4, 2021, a new decree of the President of the Russian Federation came into force, according to which all holders of DPR and LPR passports can apply for Russian citizenship in a simplified manner. Having a Ukrainian passport is no longer a prerequisite. Residents of these territories are also allowed visa-free entry into Russia without presenting a Ukrainian passport.

In addition, the migrant must comply with all requirements regarding this issue in accordance with the general rules, namely:

• familiarize yourself with Russian legislation in detail, recognize the laws, and comply with the Constitution;
• speak Russian at a fairly high level.

For residents of Donbass, the bill provides for mandatory passing of an exam on knowledge of the Russian language, consisting of three tests.

The period for simplified registration of Russian citizenship is a maximum of 3 months, after which the migrant must be notified of this without fail. The mandatory stay on the territory of Russia and the requirements for holding a residence permit are completely removed.

The application can be submitted immediately together with children, spouse and parents.

The procedure for obtaining a permit by a citizen of the republic

Obtaining paper for legal residence in Russia is carried out as follows:

1. An application for temporary residence permit is drawn up. The collected documents must be attached to the request.
2. You must undergo a thorough medical examination. This is necessary to confirm the absence of diseases that may require special care or pose a threat to nearby people.
3. Confirmation of knowledge of the Russian language. This can be done using a special certificate. It is issued strictly after passing the exam. A document confirming your education must be attached to this confirmation.
4. The state duty required by law, which is charged for a temporary residence permit, is paid.
5. It is important to provide the collected documents to the migration department.
6. A decision is made to verify the documents provided.
7. Fingerprinting is being done. This can be done at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is located on the territory of residence.
8. Approach the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to affix the RVP stamp. This permission looks like a regular stamp in a passport.
9. Registration is simple.

Whether or not to issue the permit necessary for legal residence is decided by a specialist from the territorial organization. The basis for this is the package of documents and certificates provided.

Documents for obtaining Russian citizenship

To move to Russia for permanent residence, a mandatory condition is to collect a package of documents to submit them to the migration department.

A list of standard papers and the availability of additional ones that may be needed in each specific case can be obtained by contacting the official website of the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the territorial divisions of the service.

Documents for obtaining citizenship in a simplified manner

List of documents for simplified acquisition of citizenship without obtaining a residence permit and temporary residence permit in 2021:

• application of the established form in two copies;
• a document confirming knowledge of the Russian language;
• if there is no registration mark in a valid Ukrainian passport or a passport of the DPR or LPR, a document confirming permanent residence in the territory of the Donetsk or Lugansk region as of April 7, 2021;
• Ukrainian passport, if available;
• an application for marriage or divorce, as well as documents for changing the surname (if such actions were taken).
• 4 photographs measuring 3 by 4 centimeters;

Copies and originals of documents must be provided. You also need to add the child’s birth certificate if you are submitting an application for citizenship for minor children at the same time.

These documents can be submitted to local migration authorities at the place of residence in the Lugansk and Donetsk republics.

Documents for registration of citizenship in the general order

The list of basic documents for obtaining citizenship according to the general procedure includes:

• birth certificate (copy and original);
• foreign passport (copy and original);
• written justification for being on the territory of Russia with attached relevant documents (visa, migration notice or card);
• certificate of no criminal record;
• marriage or divorce certificate (copy and original);
• birth certificates of children, if any (copy and original);
• documentary evidence of ownership of real estate, vehicles and other property;
• education diplomas (copies and originals);
• a certificate of medical examination confirming the absence of contagious infectious diseases;
• photographs of the required format;
• completed application form;
• standard application form for Russian citizenship.

The application form for obtaining Russian citizenship and a sample of filling out the application can be downloaded here. And here is an application form for obtaining Russian citizenship in a simplified manner.

Legal assistance in obtaining temporary residence permit, residence permit and citizenship

Migron, a specialized legal agency for Ukrainian citizens in Russia, can help you obtain:

• RVP,
• residence permit,
• NRY,
• Russian citizenship “turnkey” from the very beginning until receiving a passport.

Over 6 years of work, we have helped more than 2,500 foreign citizens obtain Russian citizenship.

• Address: Moscow, Kurskaya metro station, st. Zemlyanoy Val, building 7, office 219
• telephone: +
• Find out how to obtain Russian citizenship on the website migron.ru

Example of a civil document

The man was born in the USSR in 1973. He had citizenship characteristic of that period. In 2021, he moved across the Russian border for a temporary residence permit. An incapacitated father lives in Russia. He is considered a citizen of the Russian Federation. Thanks to this, paper can be obtained without applying a quota. The citizen was able to achieve his goal only 28 days later, after providing such important papers as a personal birth certificate, father’s passport, as well as certificates from the clinic that confirm the father’s incapacity.

Difficulties in obtaining citizenship for residents of the LPR and DPR

Every resident of Ukraine may have a lot of reasons on the basis of which there is a growing need to obtain Russian citizenship. This includes looking for work in Russia, moving to relatives or spouses in the event of marriage, and other circumstances.

People from the LPR and DPR are no exception, although obtaining the necessary documents on the territory of the republics is somewhat complicated due to the unstable political situation. The fact is that the LPR and DPR are still considered unrecognized.

During the hostilities, a fairly impressive part of the residents of Donbass who suffered from the militants simply lost their documents, namely their passports. Today, the Committee on Constitutional Legislation is working hard to solve this problem.

This applies to both young people who are just supposed to receive a document, and those people who have lost it. Representatives of the Kyiv authorities do not give permission to restore Ukrainian passports, and those temporary certificates issued by the heads of the relevant services of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions are not legally valid.

More than 100 thousand former Ukrainians living in the LPR and DPR want to receive Russian passports in 2021 . Data that there may be a mass distribution of Russian-style passports in the Donbass has surfaced more than once before, but the LPR began issuing its own temporary documents.

Many political scientists emphasize that on the Russian side, the appearance of the bill is an effective step towards the Russian-speaking population of Donbass.

The President of the Russian Federation signed a Decree on the recognition of documents of the LPR and DPR

For a long time, residents of the LPR and DPR could not enter the Russian Federation with their passports. However, from December 2021 they began to be recognized in Russia.

The President of the Russian Federation issued a corresponding Decree about this: https://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/53895.

Registration of Russian citizenship for residents of Donbass

As for the approval of the legal status for residents of the LPR and DPR, as well as refugees who were forced to leave the country, the problem at this stage really exists.

A problem arose regarding certification. However, the Russian government organized the process of obtaining Russian citizenship for residents of Donbass and Lugansk region. Now residents of Donbass and Lugansk can obtain passports using a simplified procedure.

Previously, about 95% of residents who moved from Donbass to Russia simply did not have such an opportunity, since before that they were natives of their own country. Now the problem for these people is solved.

Donbass, monument to liberators

Simplified acquisition of citizenship has real prospects for those children who were born in Russia, and there is documentary evidence of this. This number also includes those who studied here and graduated from higher educational institutions. Only a small part of their total number was able to take advantage of this rule.

According to the new law of 2021, in order to obtain Russian citizenship it is not necessary to renounce the citizenship of the previous country.

Using a quota when applying for an official temporary permit

In each individual region, special quotas are issued annually for the number of foreign citizens entitled to obtain an affordable permit. Due to the fact that the number of quotas is strictly limited, you can try to get a stamp without it. To do this, one of the following reasons must be present:

1. Place of birth of a person: RSFSR or USSR.
2. An officially registered relationship with a person who lives in Russia and has citizenship.
3. The presence of a child who is a citizen of Russia or parents who are unable to work.
4. Compliance with the conditions specific to participation in the compatriot program, which is popular among foreigners.
5. Receipt of paper by legal representative. This could be a guardian, a parent. At the same time, they must have complete, permanent or partial temporary incapacity.
6. If a temporary residence permit is required for minors, the document will be completed by the adoptive parent, guardian or direct parent. The main condition here is the presence of a child who has not reached 18 years of age.
7. Other cases prescribed in Federal Law No. 115-FZ.

The listed reasons that allow a person to receive a paper without a quota are considered exclusively individually in each individual case. Citizens who apply for the required benefits are required to provide documents confirming this right

.