Russian citizenship: general information

• Russian citizenship (citizenship of Russian Federation) is always of the same equal “class” and does not vary across several levels according to the different grounds for obtaining citizenship. All Russian citizens have equal rights making it absolutely irrelevant how they obtain their citizenship – by birthright or through naturalization, after submitting a general or a simplified application, etc. 

• Russian citizens are guaranteed equal rights and freedoms which do not depend on ethnicity, religious affiliation, race and other factors  

• The Russian Federation is not allowed to extradite a Russian citizen to a foreign state or expel him or her outside its borders 

• A Russian citizen is entitled to change his or her citizenship, i.e. renounce his or her Russian citizenship voluntarily

• The Russian Federation cannot force a Russian citizen to renounce his or her Russian citizenship 

• Living in another country – temporarily or permanently – cannot be grounds for termination of an individual’s Russian citizenship 

• Russian citizens who either live permanently or stay temporarily in another country are entitled to protection and support by the Russian Federation 

• Russian citizenship application review times: 
  
  — citizenship by birth – 1 to 10 days
  
  — grant of citizenship under international treaties – 3 months
  
  — simplified application processing – 6 months
  
  — general application processing – 12 months