The migration legislation of the Russian Federation favorably treats residents of the former Soviet republics. The Republic of Armenia is one of the countries from which people most often apply for Russian citizenship. In addition to naturalization under the standard scheme, Armenians can acquire a new status under a simplified procedure. When preparing to change your nationality, you need to study the procedure and take into account your personal circumstances. Let's find out how an Armenian citizen can obtain Russian citizenship in order to live and work in Russia.
What is needed to acquire Russian citizenship
The naturalization process can be divided into four organizational and procedural stages. The first step is to enter the territory of Russia, obtain a migration card and register.
Citizens of Armenia can stay in Russia without registration for a month. Those who stay in the country for a long time must register at their place of stay.
Then you should obtain a document allowing you to live and work in Russia for 3 years - a temporary residence permit.
The next stage is obtaining the status of a person permanently residing in the Russian Federation. To do this you need to apply for a residence permit. A residence permit is issued for five years. The validity period of the document is extended many times.
Having lived with a residence permit in the Russian Federation for five years, you can apply for citizenship.
Rules for the stay of Armenians in Russia
When entering Russia, Armenians must fill out a migration card. In the appropriate column of the document, you must correctly indicate the purpose of your visit, for example, “work.”
The period of stay on the territory of the Russian Federation should not exceed 90 days from the moment of crossing the border. For citizens who have entered into an employment contract, the period of stay in Russia is determined by the duration of the agreement.
If a citizen of the Republic of Armenia plans to stay in Russia for more than 30 days, he is required to register at his place of stay. The receiving party must notify about the arrival of a foreigner:
- hotel worker;
- representative of the employing company;
- landlord.
To register, you need a passport and a migration card. Copies of these documents and the completed notification form are submitted to the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The detachable part of the document with the mark remains with the foreigner.
How to acquire temporary resident status
Armenian citizens who want to stay in Russia for a long time must obtain a temporary residence permit. When drawing up the document, quotas are taken into account or the grounds for obtaining a temporary residence permit outside the quota are taken into account (marriage with a citizen of the Russian Federation, the presence of children with Russian citizenship). Quotas are set annually for each region.
To obtain a temporary residence permit, an Armenian must submit an application for a quota, prepare an application and a package of necessary documents.
The petition is submitted to the territorial body of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It takes about two months to review it.
Having received a positive response, the applicant undergoes a fingerprinting procedure and is registered at his place of residence. After this, a stamp is affixed to his identity card indicating that he has received temporary resident status.
Legalization of permanent residence in the Russian Federation
Staying in Russia for a year on the basis of a temporary residence permit gives the right to apply for a residence permit. You can submit documents 6 months after receiving the temporary residence permit.
The new status gives Armenian citizens the right to free movement throughout Russia and work in any region of the Russian Federation.
Some categories of citizens have the right to obtain a residence permit without obtaining a temporary residence permit. These include:
- highly qualified specialists;
- native Russian speakers;
- refugees;
- persons who have been granted political asylum.
Consideration of the application lasts 6 months, but if the Armenian belongs to the preferential category, then he will receive a residence permit after 2-3 months.
New law for Armenians 2021
Actually, the disadvantage of this method is that the data about the Armenian is entered into the computer only after being sent to the Federal Migration Service. The request may take up to several weeks to be processed, and it also happens that the notification may be lost in the mail. A more expensive way to register is through agencies, but you first need to get acquainted with them, find out their reputation; such agencies can usually cope with the task in 1-3 days.
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The "Caucasian Knot" reported that in February, Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia Artur Baghdasaryan sent a letter to his Russian colleague Nikolai Patrushev with a request to ease the visa regime for Armenian migrants, taking into account Armenia's accession to the Customs Union.
Ways to acquire the status of a citizen of the Russian Federation
Russian legislation stipulates the grounds on which a foreign citizen can obtain a Russian passport. Thus, a child who was born in Russia, or whose parent at that moment was the holder of a Russian passport, has the right to become a citizen of the country.
Another way is to fall into the category of citizens who can be naturalized in accordance with international treaties or special programs. For example, in the Russian Federation there is a program for the resettlement of compatriots from Armenia to Russia in 2021. A simplified scheme for its participants allows them to obtain a Russian passport in a short period of time.
Foreigners who have fulfilled the conditions established by the regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation can acquire the status of a citizen of the Russian Federation, for example:
- have lived in the country for a certain number of years;
- have a stable source of income;
- renounced their previous citizenship.
Requirements depend on the category of applicants and the procedure for naturalization.
It is also possible to acquire a legal connection with the Russian Federation as a result of the restoration of citizenship of persons who previously belonged to the ranks of Russians.
Right to Naturalization
In order for Armenians to receive a Russian passport,
they must be legally capable and of legal age. Persons under 18 years of age are granted citizenship upon the application of a parent or guardian. A child over 14 years of age must agree to change his nationality.
The applicant is obliged to comply with the laws and the Constitution of the Russian Federation. In the application for admission to citizenship there is a column in which the signature confirms the intention to remain loyal to the state.
Having a legal source of income is one of the conditions for naturalization. When submitting an application you must provide:
- salary certificate from the official place of work;
- pension certificate if the applicant is a pensioner;
- income certificate, tax return, if the documents are submitted by an entrepreneur;
- certificates from the bank about receipt of income from deposits, securities, and so on.
An Armenian must renounce his previous citizenship. This is confirmed by a notarized copy of the application for renunciation of citizenship sent to the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Armenia.
One of the mandatory requirements is knowledge of the Russian language and the ability to communicate at the everyday level.
The level of knowledge can be confirmed by a certificate issued after passing a test, or a diploma of education received in the USSR.
Pensioners, group 1 disabled people and incapacitated citizens do not need to be tested.
Standard order
Applicants for Russian citizenship on a general basis must fulfill the legal requirements regarding the period of residence - live in Russia for 5 years. The countdown of this period begins not from the moment of crossing the border, but from the date of receipt of the residence permit.
Absence from the Russian Federation is allowed for up to 90 days within 1 year.
After 1 year of residence in the country, the following categories of persons can obtain citizenship:
- refugees;
- recipients of political asylum;
- foreigners who have contributed to Russia in science and culture.
The residence period requirement does not apply to persons who have served under a contract in the RF Armed Forces for at least 3 years.
Shortened naturalization procedure
Applicants will quickly receive the status of Russian citizen if they belong to one of the preferential categories of citizens:
- persons who have close relatives who are citizens of the Russian Federation;
- former citizens of the USSR, and currently stateless;
- entrepreneurs;
- qualified specialists.
In Art. 14 of Federal Law No. 62-FZ of May 31, 2002 “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation” contains a complete list of persons belonging to the preferential category.
The State Program for Resettlement from Armenia to Russia in 2021 allows you to shorten the period of naturalization in the Russian Federation..
Program participants registered at their place of residence in a certain region are not required to obtain a residence permit, provide certificates of legal means of subsistence and certificates of knowledge of the Russian language.
The procedure for obtaining citizenship has been simplified for those whose relatives live or once lived on the territory of the Russian Federation, and for those whom a special commission recognized as native speakers of the Russian language.
Action plan
Having gone through the preparatory stages, you need to understand the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for Armenian citizens in 2021. The first step is to collect a package of documents, which includes papers confirming the grounds for naturalization.
Then you can submit an application to the territorial body of the Main Department of Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the diplomatic mission of Russia in Armenia. Pre-registration for appointments is required.
If employees have no comments on the application and documents, the application is accepted for consideration. You can find out about the decision by phone.
After receiving a positive answer, you must take an oath and issue a passport as a citizen of the Russian Federation.
What documents need to be attached to the application?
The set of documents that need to be prepared to submit an application for naturalization is described in Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated November 14, 2002 No. 1325 “On approval of the Regulations on the procedure for considering issues of citizenship of the Russian Federation.” Their list depends on the grounds and procedure for acquiring the status of a Russian citizen. The application is usually accompanied by:
- residence permit;
- income certificates;
- application for renunciation of citizenship;
- certificate of passing the Russian language exam.
The list may vary depending on the method of naturalization.
If there are benefits for Armenian citizens in Russia, you should provide certificates confirming that the person belongs to one or another preferential category.
Employees of authorized bodies accept only documents translated into Russian and certified by a notary.
Who accepts applications for citizenship
Submission of documents is carried out at the territorial bodies of the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia at the place of residence of the applicant.
We warn those who are interested in how to obtain citizenship in the Russian Federation in Armenia that not everyone can submit an application to Russian diplomatic missions. Applications will be accepted from the following persons:
- whose parents have a Russian passport;
- former citizens of the USSR
, currently stateless; - who apply for the naturalization of a child or an incapacitated citizen.
Decision time and cost of the procedure
The time frame for obtaining citizenship depends on the procedure for obtaining citizenship. According to the general scheme, consideration of an application lasts 1 year. According to the simplified procedure, about 6 months pass from the moment of submitting documents to making a decision.
A state fee is charged for the provision of services related to the acquisition of the status of a Russian citizen. Its size is established in the “Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Part 2)” dated 08/05/2000 No. 117-FZ. To consider an application for Russian citizenship, you need to pay 3,500 rubles. A receipt for payment must be attached to the application.
Law for Armenians in Russia 2021
Persons who can take advantage of the simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship in a simplified manner are indicated in Article 14 of the citizenship law. These, in particular, include persons: Those who speak Russian at the required level.
This article will tell you how to get a temporary residence permit for Armenians. HOW TO OBTAIN A TRP FOR ARMENIAN CITIZENS After the quota or other grounds are already in hand, you can continue the process during which you will need: By marriage, a temporary residence permit for Armenians is issued within the boundaries indicated by the quota.
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Who can be refused
Not all citizens of Armenia can count on receiving a Russian passport. Persons who fall under Article 16 of the aforementioned Federal Law No. 62 will be denied naturalization. These include foreigners who:
- threaten the state security of the Russian Federation;
- took part in armed conflicts;
- committed extremist acts;
- are in military service in a foreign country;
- reported false information about themselves or provided false certificates.
In case of refusal, the next attempt to file a petition is possible only after 1 year, although some manage to obtain justice from senior management or in court.
Is it possible to retain my previous citizenship?
Citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia are not prohibited from having a passport of another state. However, it is worth knowing that a person in any case is considered exclusively as a citizen of the country in whose territory he permanently resides. He is responsible for paying taxes, he must serve in the army, and so on.
Only citizens of states that have signed the relevant agreement can have dual citizenship. Since there is no such agreement between Russia and Armenia, an Armenian must include a document confirming the renunciation of Armenian citizenship in the package of papers for naturalization in the Russian Federation.
Registration and receipt of Armenian citizenship
If the child’s parents are not citizens of this country, but he was born in the Armenian Republic, then the child cannot become a resident of Armenia. Restoration of Armenian citizenship is a procedure for restoring previously lost status as a resident of Armenia. That is, if a person in the past was a resident of the Armenian Republic, but for some reason refused it, then he has every right to apply for the restoration of his status. Here you can read more about the standard of living in Armenia https://visasam.ru/emigration/pereezdsng/zhizn-i-ceny-v-armenii.html
Recognition of citizenship refers to the procedure for accepting citizenship by persons who in the past or at the time of submitting documents are residents of other states. Simply put, the adoption of citizenship is the same process of naturalization of a person on the territory of a foreign country.
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How to terminate Armenian citizenship
The procedure for renouncing RA citizenship includes collecting documents and submitting an application addressed to the head of state. The list of papers includes:
- passport of a citizen of Armenia;
- marriage certificate;
- certificate of absence of tax arrears;
- a document confirming receipt of citizenship of another country.
On the territory of Armenia, papers are submitted to the Passport and Visa Department of the RA Police. In Russia, you can apply for renunciation of citizenship at the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Armenia in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Volgograd, Sochi.
The documents are submitted to the Commission on Citizenship Issues under the President of the Republic. During the consideration of the application, the authenticity of the papers is checked. Only after this, an application for termination of citizenship is sent to the head of the RA. If the application is granted, a Decree is issued, after which the citizen surrenders his RA passport.
