Recognition of dual citizenship in the Russian Federation. Is it possible to obtain citizenship of the Russian Federation without leaving another citizenship. In what cases is dual citizenship possible in the Russian Federation?

The concept of dual citizenship. The attitude towards dual citizenship, which predetermines the essence of the state legal policy of the state in the sphere of citizenship, differs depending on the characteristics of politics, culture, demographic, ethnographic situation, geographical location and other factors.

Since issues of citizenship relate mainly to the field of domestic regulation, in some cases the emergence of interstate conflicts is inevitable, giving rise to such phenomena as double citizenship and statelessness. The objective nature of these phenomena compels states to take them into account in their legislation on citizenship.

In domestic legal literature, dual citizenship has traditionally been considered as a conflict, and therefore, of course, an undesirable phenomenon.

During the entire period of its existence, the principle of not only single, but also sole (exclusive) citizenship was in effect in the Soviet Union, which meant that persons who were citizens of the USSR were not recognized as belonging to the citizenship of a foreign state. In the context of a tough ideological confrontation between the two political systems it simply could not be otherwise. Both in the Soviet doctrine of citizenship, and in all laws on citizenship of the USSR, dual citizenship was consistently rejected.

The more remarkable is the sharp change in the position of the state regarding dual citizenship and the introduction into the Constitution of the Russian Federation of December 12, 1993 of a norm recognizing it.

According to Part 1 of Art. 62 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, citizen Russian Federation may have citizenship of a foreign state (dual citizenship) in accordance with federal law or an international treaty of the Russian Federation.

Dual citizenship should be understood as a special political and legal state of an individual, in which he simultaneously holds the citizenship of two or more foreign states.. The Russian Citizenship Law of 2002 defines dual citizenship as the possession by a citizen of the Russian Federation of citizenship (nationality) of a foreign state.

Dual citizenship complicates the legal status of a person who simultaneously has the citizenship of two or more states, since his stable legal relationship with two states gives rise not only to “dual rights”, but also to “double obligations”.

Dual citizenship is not homogeneous in nature. It is necessary to distinguish between the state of legal (legal) dual citizenship, when one state, whose citizenship a person has, recognizes that he also has the citizenship of another state and considers it, and the actual state of dual citizenship, when the state ignores the presence of another citizenship (other citizenships) from his citizen. In the latter case, a person is considered by the state only as a citizen of his country, although at the same time he has two or more national documents confirming his citizenship, and, therefore, subjectively, he has the right to consider himself a citizen of two or more countries at the same time.

The differences between the two states of dual citizenship are proposed to be reflected by distinguishing between the concepts of "dual citizenship" and "multiple citizenship". Dual citizenship should be understood as a legal state resulting from the acquisition of a second citizenship with the permission, consent of the state of which he is already a citizen, while multiple citizenship is a legal state resulting from the acquisition of a second citizenship without the knowledge, permission of the state of which he is a citizen. initially 1 Golovastikova A.N. Citizenship: A Legal Handbook. M.: Eksmo, 2007. S. 25, 27..

This proposal deserves support in the sense that it is really necessary to distinguish between situations where a second citizenship is acquired in accordance with the existing law on citizenship and the concluded international treaty, i.e. on the legal legal basis. But the acquisition of a second citizenship without an international treaty does not entail sanctions for a person who has become a bipatride. Moreover, for a person, the second situation may be even more profitable, since it does not oblige to advertise the fact of acquiring a second citizenship. Restrictions for dual nationals established in the system of legislation of Russia and other countries (for example, restrictions on holding category “A” positions, the right to be elected to the highest government positions, access to state secrets 2 Regulations on the procedure for admitting persons with dual citizenship, stateless persons, as well as persons from among foreign citizens, emigrants and re-emigrants to state secrets. Approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 22, 1998 No. 1003.) require precise establishment having a second citizenship. Responsibility for a person with a second citizenship, in this case, can only be for providing false information.

However, we have to state that neither in domestic normative legal acts, nor in international legal treaties and agreements, the concepts of "multiple citizenship" and "dual citizenship" are meaningfully different and are used as synonyms.

Dual citizenship became widespread in the bourgeois era, since feudalism was based on attaching peasants to the land, and the migration of the population was prohibited. The emergence of dual citizenship in that period among the lower classes was a rare occurrence, although representatives of the upper class could have dual citizenship if they had possessions in the territories of different states.

Dual citizenship can arise due to various reasons, both objective and subjective.

TO objective reasons the emergence of dual citizenship, in addition to the divergence of the laws of states on the procedure for acquiring and losing citizenship, one should include territorial changes that entail a change in the jurisdiction of states, migration of the population and an influx of refugees. Dual citizenship may also be the result of a deliberate and concerted decision by states to do so.

Causes of Dual Citizenship. Dual citizenship is most often generated as a result of a conflict of laws of different states, when one state, in determining belonging to its citizenship, follows the exclusionary principle of “right of blood” (jus sangguinis), i.e. recognizes as its citizens persons whose parents are its citizens, and another state follows the inclusive principle of "right of the soil" (jus soli), i.e. recognizes individuals as its citizens. born in its territory 3 In the United States, due to the large artificial influx of population into the country, the authorities are trying in every possible way to ignore the provision of the “right of the soil” in relation to foreigners, but until an amendment to the Constitution is adopted, nothing can be changed.. Bipatrism (from the Greek bi - two and patris - fatherland, homeland) also arises regardless of the place of birth of the child, if the legislation of the country allows the transfer of the multiple citizenships of the parents to the child by the “right of blood”.

Dual citizenship may arise for a woman when she marries a foreigner, if the legislation of the spouse's country automatically grants her the citizenship of her husband, and domestic legislation does not then deprive her of citizenship. The automatic granting of citizenship to foreigners upon marriage with citizens of the state is provided, for example, by the laws of Italy, the Dominican Republic.

The emergence of dual citizenship may be the result of a deliberate public policy when one state deliberately pursues the goal of infringing on the sovereignty of another state, to maintain influence in former colonies or exacerbate the international situation.

The reasons for the emergence of dual citizenship may also be special international agreements.

The subjective factor giving rise to dual citizenship is the activity of persons acquiring a second citizenship, including in violation of the rules established by states for admission to citizenship and its loss.

Consequences of dual citizenship. An objective assessment of dual citizenship requires the identification of both positive and negative consequences in its nature.

The positive effects of dual citizenship are:

• additional guarantees for the realization and protection of the rights and freedoms of the individual, since persons with dual citizenship have equal rights and obligations with citizens of the country of residence, while at the same time maintaining cultural and other ties with the country of origin;
• benefits in relation to the right to reside in both states, the right to return or re-emigration, the possibility of retaining citizenship in a mixed marriage;
• the host state more easily integrates a resident with dual citizenship than a foreign citizen, and the state of origin maintains ties with its citizen, which is especially important for developing countries;
• the presence of a significant number of persons with dual citizenship can contribute to the intensification of ties between states. The former SFRY (Yugoslavia), for example, did not prevent dual citizenship, encouraging migration, which partly removed the problems of unemployment, vocational training of the population abroad, and obtaining foreign exchange income.

The negative consequences of dual citizenship are as follows:

• dual citizenship can create additional responsibilities for the individual. He may be required to perform military service in two states, pay taxes to two states, and so on. This kind of establishment of dual obligations is legitimate, since the 1930 Hague Convention on Certain Questions Relating to the Conflict of Nationality Laws established that “a person possessing one or two nationalities may be considered by each state of which he is a citizen as its citizen »;
• a person with dual citizenship, according to the same Convention, has truncated rights to diplomatic protection. Collisions are inevitable legal status persons with dual citizenship due to contradictions in the legislation of the two countries, most often resolved not in favor of this person;
• some countries consider certain acts of their citizens to be high treason, even if those acts are committed abroad. In 1989, the US government announced that it had the "legal right" to kidnap any person with US citizenship and bring him to the US to stand trial, regardless of local law;
• in relation to persons with dual citizenship, difficulties arise in the sphere of interstate relations. On the one hand, a dispute may arise about the nationality of a person between states considering him as their own citizen, and on the other hand, for some reason, a third state may be forced to decide which citizenship of a person with dual citizenship should be given preference. 4 The issue of diplomatic protection for dual nationals is decided by international law on the basis of the principles first formulated in the Hague Convention on Certain Questions Concerning Conflicts between Nationality Laws. In Art. 4 of the Convention states that "a state is not entitled to exercise diplomatic protection of its citizen in relation to another state whose citizenship this person has." In Art. 5 of the Hague Convention states the principle that the criterion for determining the citizenship of dual nationals is domicile: “Within a third state, a person who has more than one citizenship will be considered as having only one. While reserving the right to apply its laws relating to personal status and any international agreement in force, the third State shall, in its territory, recognize such person exclusively as either the nationality of the country in which that person habitually and principally resides or the nationality of the country with which in the data circumstances, this person appears to be the most closely related in fact." This principle has entered into international law under the name "effective citizenship".;
• for the state, a person with dual citizenship will always be perceived as insufficiently loyal. Considering that the loyalty of citizens to their state implies two aspects - internal and external (internal consists in the fact that citizens are obliged to obey any constitutionally adopted decisions of state power, regardless of their personal consent or disagreement; in its external aspect, loyalty is tested in the conditions of international crises when the vital interests of a state are threatened by other states 5 Hammar Thomas. State, Nation and Dual Citizenship // Russian Bulletin for Human Rights. 1994. No. 3. S. 61.), then dual citizenship can be badly combined with loyalty in both of its manifestations. The contradiction between dual citizenship and "internal" loyalty is seen in a situation where a person with dual citizenship retains a strong attachment to the country where he was brought up, and this country differs too sharply from the country of his current residence in religion, political culture, lifestyle and legal system. With respect to "external loyalty", a person's dual citizenship is incompatible with the situation where the person's first citizenship is or was in hostile relations with the country of his current citizenship;
• dual citizenship does not remove the problems of cultural, linguistic and other integration of first generation immigrants. For international relations the problem of dual citizenship may mean contradictions between international and bilateral treaties on dual citizenship.

Thus, the situation of dual citizenship may be beneficial for the individual who has it, but not mandatory for the state that faces it. The interests of the individual do not always and in everything coincide with the interests of the state, and from the point of view of the classical nation state the situation of dual citizenship is legally anomalous. The exceptions are those countries whose compatriots are scattered all over the world. With dual citizenship, the state has less leverage over an individual who has an alternative citizenship; in addition, there is a potential risk to the security of the state. Influential, prosperous countries, whose citizenship is prestigious, profitable, and therefore easily wins competition with other foreign states, are calm about dual citizenship. Thus, the United States has not yet enshrined the principle of exclusive citizenship. There are also states that provide their citizenship and passport in the hope of cashing in on this, attracting "gratuitous investments" in their economy 6 Today, there are four countries in the world that provide legal opportunities (programs) for the rapid acquisition of full-fledged citizenship and a passport. These are Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitty and Nevis. The total cost of obtaining citizenship of Grenada - regardless, for one person or for a family with three children - from 57 to 65 US dollars, and depends on the cost of "security checks" (Interpol, etc.). In Dominica, the full cost of obtaining citizenship for one person is $34, for a family with two children - $65..

States establish rights and freedoms designed for their use, first of all, by their own citizens, with the exception of universal human rights and freedoms. Citizens alone constitute a society organized in a state, and only they are called upon to govern the affairs of that state. Therefore, only they have the right to enjoy political rights - the right to elect and be elected to representative and other state bodies, to hold positions in the public service, to engage in certain activities, to represent the state in international communication, to use various types social security and many other rights, benefits and benefits.

Only citizens are entrusted with certain civic obligations, for example, military duty, the duty to protect one's fatherland, loyalty to one's state, non-compliance with which is punishable by law.

The complex combination of positive and negative aspects of dual citizenship makes it difficult to develop an unambiguous attitude towards it. It is even difficult to determine what trends towards dual citizenship prevail in the modern world.

According to Thomas Hammar, dual citizenship is spreading, among other things, due to the fact that states are becoming more tolerant of this phenomenon, and even countries that have officially proclaimed the elimination of dual citizenship as their goal, in practice treat it with a great deal of complacency.

According to W.G. hilla, everyone more countries perceive dual citizenship "as an unnecessary hassle" and abandon the practice of its recognition.

In Art. 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

• every person has the right to a nationality;
• no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality or the right to change his nationality.

The first paragraph of this article is directed against the situation of statelessness, and the second paragraph, according to legal scholars, if we proceed from its literal interpretation, is against the situation of dual citizenship.

Ways to prevent dual citizenship. Many states that have a negative attitude towards dual citizenship seek either to eliminate the very situation of dual citizenship, or to minimize its consequences. This is achieved through both domestic and international legal methods.

The most common way to eliminate dual citizenship, which creates legal uncertainty and thereby violates the optimal regime legal regulation of the status of an individual, domestic law is an option meaning the choice of citizenship by a person who has more than one citizenship.

A more efficient and effective way, compared to domestic means, is the conclusion of international treaties. This is explained by the fact that domestic legislative acts cannot completely exclude conflicts of laws on citizenship due to their unilateral nature and, therefore, cannot take into account possible changes in the legislation of other states.

International treaties concluded by states can be aimed both at preventing the occurrence of dual citizenship and at regulating its consequences.

The first are the conventions Soviet Union with a number of Eastern European socialist states. Thus, by means of conventions between the Government of the USSR and the Government of the Hungarian People’s Republic, signed in August 1957 and January 1963, an agreement was reached that within one year all persons considered both citizens of the USSR and citizens of the Hungarian Republic, on the basis of full voluntariness have the right to choose the citizenship of any of the parties.

The second category of international treaties itself does not eliminate dual citizenship. They are concluded to settle the consequences of dual citizenship in connection with the provision of diplomatic protection, military service, etc. These include the multilateral Hague Convention on Certain Questions Concerning Conflicts of Nationality Laws, 1963, Chapter II of the Strasbourg Convention on Multiple Nationality of 1963.

Finally, there are treaties aimed at resolving issues of dual citizenship. Examples are the agreement on the settlement of issues of dual citizenship between Spain and Argentina, the agreement between Russia and Tajikistan on the settlement of issues of dual citizenship of September 7, 1995.

Based on historical ties between states, these treaties allow for the retention of former citizenship.

Since, in case of dual citizenship for one state, the citizenship of another is not of decisive importance, the agreements contain conflict of laws rules indicating competence in the exercise of the rights and obligations of persons with dual citizenship.

From a practical point of view, instead of trying to develop and unify conflict rules, it is more preferable to develop uniform substantive rules governing similar categories of legal relations. States must develop and adopt uniform rules in every area, including on citizenship issues. For this purpose, international conventions can be adopted, in addition, the jurisprudence of each country, creating a conflict of laws rule, should take into account how this problem is solved by law or jurisprudence in other countries.

Compliance with the basic principles international law can and should contribute to the resolution of contentious issues generated by conflicts of laws on citizenship. At the same time, these principles and norms cannot ensure full coherence of citizenship laws, and besides, their number is small. The Memorandum of the UN Secretariat of May 14, 1954 states that there are either no general principles of international law regarding citizenship, or there are very few of them, although several such principles are nevertheless mentioned: for example, the inadmissibility of granting citizenship to the child of a diplomatic agent born in the territory a foreign state adhering to the law of the soil; prohibition to impose one's citizenship.

Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan on the settlement of issues of dual citizenship (Moscow, September 7, 1995) The agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan on the settlement of issues of dual citizenship notes that it is concluded in order to further develop friendly relations between countries in the spirit of respect for sovereignty, independence and equality, on the basis of non-interference in each other's internal affairs and based on the desire for fair and humane settlement of issues related to dual citizenship.

In Art. 1 of the Treaty states that each of the parties recognizes for its citizens the right to acquire, without losing its citizenship, the citizenship of the other party. The acquisition by a citizen of one party of the citizenship of the other party is carried out on the basis of the free will of the citizen on the terms and in the manner established by the legislation of the party whose citizenship is being acquired. A person who has citizenship of both parties and permanently resides in the territory of one of the parties is obliged to comply with the constitution and laws, respect the traditions and customs of the party permanent residence. If such a person, permanently residing in the territory of one of the parties, is in the territory of the other party, then he is also obliged to comply with the constitution and laws, respect the traditions and customs of this party. If a person who is a citizen of both parties and permanently residing in the territory of one of them. moves for permanent residence in the territory of the other party, then such person shall exercise the rights and obligations arising from the citizenship of that other party. from the moment he acquires the status of a permanent resident in its territory.

A person who is a citizen of both parties, permanently residing in the territory of one of the parties, enjoys the rights and freedoms in full, and also bears the obligations of a citizen of the party in whose territory he permanently resides. At the same time, it was noted that a person who has the citizenship of both parties cannot simultaneously exercise the rights and obligations arising from dual citizenship. Social security, education, medical service persons with dual citizenship is made in the territory and in accordance with the legislation of the party in which they permanently reside. Unless otherwise provided by a special agreement of the parties, then to persons who have dual citizenship and are subject to the performance of military duties, including military registration, preparation for military service, entry into military service and its passage, stay in the reserve (reserve) and military training in military time, the following provisions apply:

a) such persons are performing military service in accordance with the legislation of the Party in whose territory they permanently reside at the time of conscription;

b) persons who have completed military service in accordance with the legislation of one party are not subject to military service in accordance with the legislation of the other party, and military service in accordance with the legislation of one party is considered as the performance of the corresponding military duty in relation to the other party;

c) such persons who have completed military service in accordance with the legislation of one party, perform the duties of a military reserve in accordance with the legislation of that party. In the event that such a person moves for permanent residence in the territory of the other Party, the fulfillment of these obligations is carried out by him in accordance with its legislation.

A person who has dual citizenship of the parties and has completed military service in accordance with the legislation of one of them may perform military service under the contract in the armed forces of any party chosen by him.

Children, each of whose parents was at the time of the birth of the child in the citizenship of both parties, acquire from the moment of birth the citizenship of both parties. Before these children reach the age of 18, their parents may choose for them the citizenship of one of the parties by renouncing the citizenship of the other party in the form of a joint written application.

Upon reaching the age of 18, a person who is a citizen of both parties may retain both citizenships or choose the citizenship of one of the parties by renouncing the citizenship of the other party in the form of a written application for renunciation of citizenship, submitted within one year after reaching the age of 18 years.

Cessation of the citizenship of each of the parties from persons who are citizens of both parties shall be carried out in accordance with the legislation of the party whose citizenship is terminated.

Persons who are citizens of both parties shall have the right to enjoy the protection and patronage of each of the parties. Protection and patronage for these persons in a third state is provided by the party in whose territory they permanently reside, or, at their request, by another party whose citizenship they also have.

Legal regulation of states of dual citizenship. The complex nature of dual citizenship makes it difficult to develop a unified attitude towards it different states, which is why international practice has developed various approaches to its regulation.

Recognition of dual citizenship is possible when states freely allow dual citizenship or citizenship of more than one country (Canada, Ireland, Spain, Yemen, Albania, Liechtenstein). For example, the Spanish Constitution in Part 3 of Art. II establishes that the state may conclude treaties of dual citizenship with Ibero-American countries or with countries that had or have special ties with Spain. In these countries, even if they do not reciprocally recognize such a right for their citizens, Spaniards can naturalize without losing their Spanish citizenship.

Some countries allow dual citizenship under certain conditions or do not require renunciation of the former citizenship when acquiring a new one (USA, UK, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands).

So, for example, according to Art. 5 of the British Nationality Act 1981, British citizen dependent territories belonging to the category of persons. who, under the Commonwealth treaties, are to be treated as citizens of the United Kingdom, is entitled to be registered as a British citizen, subject to application.

Finally, some states, in accordance with general principle one citizenship do not allow dual citizenship (Sweden, Japan, South Africa, Philippines). The condition for acquiring the citizenship of such a state is the renunciation foreign citizenship.

For example, the Japanese Nationality Law of May 4, 1950 provides for a requirement that a person applying for naturalization be stateless or, as a result of naturalization, lose their former citizenship (clause 5, article 4).

The norms of international law are equally consistent with both the direct prohibition of dual citizenship (if this does not create a state of statelessness) and the unconditional recognition of dual citizenship. The admission of dual citizenship for its citizens only as an exception or under an international treaty as a whole corresponds to the desire to overcome dual citizenship. Each country approaches the solution of the problem of dual citizenship in accordance with the peculiarities of its own policy, culture, demographic situation, geographical location, etc.

M. Mertes notes that in reality most Western states are still trying to avoid the possibility of dual citizenship or, in extreme cases, with the help of oaths and oaths of allegiance, oblige new citizens to be especially loyal to their new homeland 7 Mertes M. German Questions - European Answers. S. 78..

In the United States, a classic immigration country, since 1790 the naturalization law has established that the applicant takes an oath. in which he renounces his former citizenship. However, in practice, dual citizenship is allowed in the United States. However, such generosity may disappear because neighboring Mexico has simplified the procedure for obtaining an American passport, abolishing the need to renounce Mexican citizenship and all rights associated with it, with the exception of suffrage. As a result, domestic political pressure is mounting on Congress in Washington to halt the disproportionate rise in applications from Mexican citizens, such as by requiring formal renunciation of Mexican citizenship.

In Germany, multiple citizenship is gaining ground as a result of naturalization. In 1993, when the law on foreigners was amended to simplify the granting of German citizenship, 30 thousand foreigners (40% of all cases) received a German passport and became citizens of two states. In those countries where the procedure for the revocation of former citizenship was deliberately complicated, an even higher percentage was observed: among the Afghans - 89%, among the Moroccans - 87% and among the Turks - 68%. Liberalization German rules on naturalization of January 1, 1991, granted the right to naturalization without regard to "ethnic" criteria, such as origin or full assimilation. However, the new procedures have so far been rarely applied by officials, as Germany, like several other European countries, requires those who apply for naturalization to renounce their former citizenship. Plans for further liberalization - including with regard to the issue of dual citizenship, which primarily affects the 1.8 million German citizens living in Germany - were confirmed after the Bundestag elections in the autumn of 1994 in an agreement between the CDU/CSU and the FDP.

USSR legislation on dual citizenship. The legislation of the USSR on citizenship rejected dual citizenship, not recognizing the possibility for citizens of the Soviet Union to possess the citizenship of a foreign state.

Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of April 1, 1918 "On the acquisition of rights Russian citizenship» required notification of foreign states about the acquisition of Russian citizenship by persons who were previously citizens of these states.

In accordance with the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR of 1921 “On the Acceptance of Foreigners into Russian Citizenship”, persons residing within the RSFSR who were accepted into Russian citizenship and did not liquidate their citizenship (nationality) relations with a foreign state were deprived of the right to appeal to protect their interests to the government of the country of which they were previously citizens.

According to the Regulations on Citizenship of the USSR of 1924 (Article 2). 1930 (Article 4), 1931 (Article 4) foreign citizens admitted to the citizenship of the USSR did not enjoy the rights and did not bear the obligations associated with belonging to the citizenship of another state.

The USSR Citizenship Laws of 1978 (Art. 8) and 1990 (Art. 2) fixed the provision according to which “a person who is a citizen of the USSR is not recognized as belonging to the citizenship of a foreign state.”

The principle non-recognition of the institution of dual citizenship of the USSR was expressed in a number of international agreements and conventions on the settlement of the issue of persons with dual citizenship and the prevention of cases of dual citizenship. In particular. The USSR signed similar conventions with Hungary, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, North Korea, Poland, and Mongolia.

Legal regulation of dual citizenship in the Russian Federation. The change in the geopolitical situation after the collapse of the USSR led to the constitutional recognition of dual citizenship. The 1991 Law "On Citizenship of the RSFSR" also allowed for dual citizenship. Thus, according to the former Law on Russian Citizenship of 1991, when a foreign citizen acquired Russian citizenship, he was not required as a condition to renounce his former citizenship, although such a rule was contained in Part 1 of Art. 3 of the original version of November 28, 1991 of the Law “On Citizenship of the RSFSR”, but was later amended by the Law of the Russian Federation of June 17, 1993 “On Amendments and Additions to the Law of the RSFSR “On Citizenship of the RSFSR”.

In the previous Instruction "On the organization of the work of the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation when considering issues of citizenship of the Russian Federation", approved by order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation dated June 30, 1994 No. 330, clause 6.2.1 stated that when foreign citizens acquire citizenship of the Russian Federation and stateless persons, their residence permits are confiscated. Based on the certificates received, they are issued, in the prescribed manner, passports of a citizen of the USSR with a text indicating that they belong to the citizenship of the Russian Federation, and changes are made to the records. It is important to note that national passports were not confiscated from such persons. When acquiring Russian citizenship by foreign citizens, including citizens of the CIS member states, the bodies of the passport and visa service were prohibited from seizing national documents from them with subsequent forwarding to the bodies that issued them, except when this is established by the relevant international treaty of the Russian Federation. Passports of a citizen of the USSR of the sample of 1974 with a mark (stamp) on the belonging of its owner to the citizenship of another state are also equated to a national document and are not subject to withdrawal.

A situation arose in which a foreign citizen, acquiring Russian citizenship and receiving a Russian passport, at the same time kept his passport, and. respectively, the citizenship of a foreign state.

Actual dual citizenship is also generated in the event that a Russian citizen takes citizenship of a foreign state without formalizing the renunciation of citizenship of the Russian Federation. Russian law does not provide for liability for such naturalization. The loss of Russian citizenship unilaterally without the will of a person is currently not allowed under Russian law. According to part 3 of Art. 6 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and part 4 of Art. 4 of the Law on Citizenship of the Russian Federation of 2002, no one in Russia can be deprived of his citizenship or the right to change his citizenship.

In addition, in Part 2 of Art. 6 of the Law stipulates that the acquisition by a citizen of the Russian Federation of another citizenship does not entail the termination of Russian citizenship.

Thus, it can be noted that dual citizenship is also allowed in the new Citizenship Law. At the same time, the state does not recognize the situation of actual dual citizenship and does not take into account the fact that a person has citizenship other than Russian.

The policy of the Russian Federation regarding dual citizenship. Simultaneously with the collapse of the USSR, the problem of determining the citizenship of his former citizens. One of the options for solving this problem in the Russian Federation was seen in the conclusion of a series of agreements on dual citizenship with other republics former USSR in order to support ethnic Russians who remained to live on their territory. It was pointed out that “the institution of dual citizenship, rather, was designed for the future, bearing in mind the integration processes between states. The collapse of the USSR and the formation of independent states, the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States can make the institution of dual citizenship relevant in favorable conditions for this, as well as for solving acute problems of protecting the rights and freedoms of hundreds of thousands of people, compatriots who, against their will, found themselves in various states. 8 Comments on the Constitution of the Russian Federation / Ed. V.V. Lazarev. M., 1997. S. 272..

However, such hopes were not justified. For all the elapsed time, only the Agreement between the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan on the settlement of dual citizenship of December 23, 1993 and the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan on the settlement of issues of dual citizenship of September 7, 1995 were concluded. In early April 2003, the presidents of Russia and Turkmenistan signed a protocol terminating the 1993 Agreement on Dual Citizenship. The expediency of terminating the Agreement was motivated by the fact that "those who wanted to leave had already left for Russia."

Former Chairman of the Commission on Citizenship under the President of the Russian Federation A. Mikitaev noted that the fear of losing their sovereignty led the republics to refuse to conclude such agreements 9 Mikitaev A. Russia will protect its citizens // Nezavisimaya Gazeta. 1993 November 11th.

As the emerging situation was realized, an attempt was made to solve the problem of the situation of the Russian-speaking population living abroad by changing the original wording of Part 1 of Art. 3 of the Law "On Citizenship of the RSFSR".

The admission of dual citizenship by the Russian Federation is perceived by other republics of the former USSR as an infringement of their sovereignty, as a way for Russia to maintain its influence in them. Often this leads to the fact that those persons who have acquired Russian citizenship in these states and continue to live there experience negative sanctions from their state authorities.

Termination of the Agreement on Dual Citizenship between Russia and Turkmenistan difficult situation persons who have it.

According to the decree on the termination of dual citizenship, issued by the President of Turkmenistan, persons with citizenship of Russia and Turkmenistan had to report the choice of citizenship of one of the states within two months. Persons who do not report their decision will automatically be considered citizens of Turkmenistan. Since, according to Turkmen laws, citizens of other countries do not have the right to own local real estate, it turns out that those who do not renounce Russian citizenship are deprived of their apartment and must leave the country by June 22. Since the signing of the decree, the Russians, of whom 90% of the 150,000 citizens have dual citizenship, have been dismissed from their jobs without explanation. Since the end of April, the number of people who would like to leave the republic began to grow. Approximately 100,000 exit applications were submitted, despite the drastic restriction on the issuance of visas.

A situation unprecedented by international standards has developed, demonstrating to the world the helplessness of Russia. Commenting on the situation, Dennis Blair, Deputy Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Russia, said that if Russia does not protect the rights of its citizens in Turkmenistan, the UN will be forced to provide them with international protection. 10 Turkmenistan gets rid of Russian citizens // Russian newspaper. 2003. May 14..

Hundreds of thousands of Moldovan citizens, who also have other citizenship, may be deprived of their rights with the adoption of a law restricting the rights of such persons to hold public office and practice various professions. This bill was approved by the Communist faction of the Parliament of Moldova in the first reading 11 Ether-Digest. Residents of Moldova with dual citizenship may be deprived of their rights. 2007. November 9. No. 126 // Constitutional justice in the CIS and Baltic countries. Digest of official materials and publications of the periodical press. 2008. No. 1..

If adopted, the President of Moldova, members of the Government of Moldova, not only deputies, but also candidates for deputies of parliament, members of the Accounts Chamber. National Financial Market Commission, Administrative Council of the National Bank, Central Electoral Commission. The Constitutional Court, representatives of all power structures, diplomats - all these people will have to have "exclusive" citizenship of Moldova. And at the same time, the Constitution of Moldova allows dual citizenship.

Observers were quick to regard the appearance of the new bill as another manifestation of the Romanian-phobia of the Communist Party. However, the ban on professions and civil service will inevitably affect the citizens of Moldova, who simultaneously have not only the citizenship of Romania, but also of other countries. First of all, we are talking about residents of Transnistria, who mostly have Russian or Ukrainian citizenship.

The armed conflict in August 2008 between the Republic of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation, on the one hand, and Georgia, on the other hand, aggravated the problem of the status of unrecognized states - the former allied autonomous republics. Actually, the massive granting of second Russian citizenship to the residents of the Republic of Abkhazia and South Ossetia initially brought the issue to a standstill.

In the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance concluded on September 17, 2008 between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Abkhazia, each of the parties recognized for its citizens the right to acquire, without losing its citizenship, the citizenship of the other Contracting Party (Part 1, Article 8).

The acquisition of a second citizenship is carried out on the basis of the free will of a citizen on the terms and in the manner established by the legislation of Russia and Abkhazia. In order to regulate in detail the issues of dual citizenship, Russia and Abkhazia undertook to conclude a separate agreement.

Russia's promise after the South Ossetian events of greater support to the population of Crimea provoked a panic in Ukraine, where rumors about the issuance of Russian passports in Crimea, following the example of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, caused a real stir. It came to an open call to "put" in prison for dual, Russian-Ukrainian citizenship. As deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oksana Bilozir stated: “this problem is important for Ukraine, because it leads to the future annexation of the territory of our state” 11 Gavrilov V. We need a Turkish ally // RBC. 2008. December. S. 70..

A description of the situation with the situation of Russians in the countries of the near abroad would be incomplete without mentioning that not a single attempt is known of ethnic Russians to defend their interests, even in those areas where they are not a minority, but the majority of the population. In the countries of the near abroad, in business communication, in everyday life and on television, the Russian language is increasingly being squeezed out, Russians are being squeezed out of all leadership positions. The response is only in the form of assimilation or flight to Russia. Moreover, in Latvia, where the Russians lost all rights, calculations showed that during the independence referendum most of Russians voted for independence.

As I.R. Shafarevich, it is also striking how little interest in Russia is in the fate of Russians who find themselves outside of it. Russians demonstrate weakness, loss of will to self-defense, weakening of national self-consciousness. A.I. Solzhenitsyn: “We have lost the feeling of the nation, we have lost the feeling of our compatriots, it doesn’t matter to us” 12 Shafarevich I. Russian people in the battle of civilizations. M., 2003. S. 280..

Legislative regulation of dual citizenship in the CIS countries. The attitude in the CIS member states to dual citizenship is generally ambiguous. This is explained by the fact that both the complete prohibition of dual citizenship and its unconditional recognition in the conditions of the collapse of a previously united state create difficulties. In the conditions of the collapse of the USSR, the formal recognition of dual citizenship, even under certain conditions, outwardly looks more democratic than a complete rejection of it. In this regard, in many CIS countries, the practice has become widespread when dual citizenship is not recognized as a general rule for citizens of their state, but can be granted to them in the event of an international agreement or with the permission of the country's president.

According to the Nationality Law Republic of Azerbaijan a person belonging to the State of Azerbaijan, having political and legal ties with it, as well as mutual rights and obligations, is a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan. A person born in the territory of the Azerbaijan Republic or from citizens (citizen) of the Azerbaijan Republic is a citizen of the Azerbaijan Republic. Under no circumstances can a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan be deprived of citizenship of the Republic, which, in turn, guarantees legal protection and patronizes citizens of Azerbaijan temporarily or permanently residing outside its borders. Residence of a citizen of the Azerbaijan Republic on the territory of a foreign state does not entail the termination of citizenship of the Azerbaijan Republic. The belonging of a person who is a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the citizenship of a foreign state is not recognized, except for the cases provided for by international treaties of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Article 10 of the Law). A foreign citizen and a stateless person who has been living on the territory of the Republic for the last 5 years and who has submitted a document on possession state language may take citizenship of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Article 14 of the Law).

The Azerbaijani state, represented by its bodies and officials, is responsible to the citizens of the Azerbaijan Republic. Citizenship of the Republic of Azerbaijan is equal for everyone, regardless of the grounds for its acquisition. The rights, freedoms and obligations of citizens are equal regardless of their origin, social and property status, race and nationality, gender, education, language, attitude to religion, political and other beliefs, type and nature of occupation. place of residence, period of residence in the area and other circumstances.

Thus, dual citizenship in Azerbaijan is allowed only if an international agreement is concluded.

IN Republic of Armenia each person, in accordance with the procedure established by law, has the right to acquire Armenian citizenship. Armenians by nationality acquire the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia in a simplified manner. Citizens of the Republic of Armenia are equal before the law, regardless of the grounds for acquiring citizenship, nationality, race, gender, religion, language, political or other views, social origin, property or other status, and have all the rights, freedoms and obligations established by the Constitution and laws.

A citizen of the Republic of Armenia cannot be simultaneously a citizen of another state.

Citizenship The Republic of Belarus- this is a stable legal connection of a person with the Republic of Belarus, expressed in the totality of their mutual rights, duties and responsibilities, based on the recognition and respect for the dignity, fundamental rights and freedoms of a person.

Citizens of the Republic of Belarus by birth are persons who were born within the modern territory of the Republic of Belarus, were citizens of the former USSR by birth and received citizenship of the Republic of Belarus before the entry into force of the Law "On Citizenship". A person who is a citizen of the Republic of Belarus is not recognized as belonging to the citizenship of a foreign state, unless otherwise provided by international treaties. An application for admission to the citizenship of the Republic of Belarus must be accompanied by a document confirming renunciation of foreign citizenship or non-citizenship of another country.

In Belarus, therefore, dual citizenship is not recognized, with the exception of concluded international treaties.

Citizenship Georgia(withdrew from the CIS in 2008) means the political and legal union of a person with the state, which is expressed in the unity of mutual rights and obligations, is based on respect for the dignity of a person, recognition of his rights and freedoms. Georgia has a single citizenship. No one can be limited in the right to change citizenship; no one can be deprived of Georgian citizenship. Citizens of Georgia are equal before the law regardless of origin, social and property status, race and nationality, gender, education, language, religion and political opinions, occupation, place of residence and other circumstances.

The residence of a citizen of Georgia outside the state does not in itself entail the loss of citizenship. A citizen of Georgia cannot be transferred to another state.

In Art. 1 of the Law "On Citizenship of Georgia" expressly states that a citizen of Georgia cannot be a citizen of another state at the same time. In addition, Art. 32 of this Law, one of the cases of loss of citizenship of Georgia is the situation when a person “acquired the citizenship of another state”.

Thus, Georgia does not recognize dual citizenship.

The Law “On Citizenship of Kazakhstan” takes special care of Kazakhs who were forced to leave the territory Kazakhstan and those living in other states. The Republic of Kazakhstan creates conditions for the return to its territory of persons who were forced to leave the territory of the republic during periods of mass repression, forced collectivization, as a result of other inhumane political actions, and their descendants, as well as for Kazakhs living on the territory of other states. The document confirming the citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan is an identity card or a passport of a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Citizenship of another state is not recognized for a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Persons who are on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan and are not its citizens enjoy all the rights and freedoms, and also bear all the obligations established by the Constitution, laws and interstate agreements of the Republic of Kazakhstan, with the exception of exemptions established by laws and interstate agreements of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Residence of a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan outside the state does not entail the termination of citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The marriage of a citizen or citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan with a person who is not a citizen of the Republic, as well as the dissolution of such a marriage, does not entail a change in citizenship. The Republic of Kazakhstan guarantees its citizens protection and patronage outside its borders.

Citizens of other states and stateless persons may, at their request, be admitted to the citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The decision on applications for admission to citizenship is made by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The fact that a person "...has the citizenship of other states" is one of the cases in which an application for citizenship is rejected.

Thus, dual citizenship is not recognized in Kazakhstan.

Citizenship Kyrgyz Republic defines permanent political and legal ties between individual and the Kyrgyz Republic, expressed in their mutual rights and obligations. No citizen of the Kyrgyz Republic may be deprived of his citizenship and the right to change it. Citizenship is equal for all regardless of the grounds for acquiring it. The residence of a citizen of the Republic outside its borders does not in itself entail the termination of citizenship. A citizen cannot be extradited to a foreign state, except in cases stipulated by interstate agreements. One of the conditions under which foreign citizens and stateless persons may be admitted to the citizenship of the Kyrgyz Republic at their request is the renunciation of foreign citizenship.

Persons who are citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic are not recognized as belonging to the citizenship of other states.

Citizenship Republic of Moldova defines a permanent political and legal relationship between an individual and the Republic of Moldova, giving rise to mutual rights and obligations. Citizenship of the Republic of Moldova is retained both on the territory of the Republic of Moldova and on the territory of other states, as well as on the territory where the sovereignty of no state is exercised.

Moldova - the only state on post-Soviet space, whose law “On Citizenship” not only uses the term “multiple” citizenship, but also defines it and considers cases of its acquisition.

In accordance with Ch. IV (art. 24) in the Republic of Moldova multiple citizenship is allowed:

a) in relation to children who automatically acquired at birth the citizenship of the Republic of Moldova and the citizenship of another state;

b) in relation to persons who are citizens of the Republic of Moldova and at the same time invest in the citizenship of another state, if this citizenship is acquired automatically as a result of marriage;

c) in relation to children - citizens of the Republic of Moldova, who acquired the citizenship of another state as a result of adoption;

d) if it results from international treaties to which the Republic of Moldova is a party;

e) if the renunciation of the citizenship of another state or its loss is impossible or cannot be reasonably demanded;

f) in other cases provided for by the law "On Citizenship".

In the interests of the Republic of Moldova and in exceptional cases, citizens of other states may acquire citizenship of the Republic of Moldova by decree of the President of the Republic of Moldova. The acquisition by a citizen of the Republic of Moldova of citizenship of another state does not entail the loss of citizenship of the Republic of Moldova. A citizen of the Republic of Moldova, who has the citizenship of another state, acts in relations with the Republic of Moldova only as its citizen. Citizens of the Republic of Moldova legally and permanently residing on the territory of the Republic of Moldova and legally possessing the citizenship of another state have the same rights and obligations as all other citizens of the Republic of Moldova.

The procedure for performing military duty in the presence of multiple citizenship is defined in the Law as follows: a person who is a citizen of the Republic of Moldova and legally possesses the citizenship of another state is liable for military service in relation to the Republic of Moldova if he legally and permanently resides on its territory, regardless of whether he is released or not exempted from military duty in another state.

Thus, in certain cases, multiple citizenship is recognized in Moldova.

Citizenship in Tajikistan is defined as a stable legal relationship between a person and the state, expressed in the totality of their mutual rights, duties and responsibilities, based on the recognition and respect for the dignity, fundamental rights and freedoms of a person. The right to citizenship is an inalienable human right. In the Republic of Tajikistan, everyone has the right to citizenship. No one can be deprived of citizenship or the right to change it. A citizen of Tajikistan is a person who, on the day the Constitution is adopted, is a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan or has acquired citizenship of the Republic in accordance with the constitutional Law.

The belonging of citizens of Tajikistan to the citizenship of another state is not allowed, with the exception of cases provided for by interstate agreements of Tajikistan. The residence of a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan outside the Republic does not terminate his citizenship, and he enjoys the protection and patronage of his state. State bodies, diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Tajikistan and their officials are obliged to facilitate that citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan who are outside the Republic are provided with the opportunity to fully enjoy all the rights established by the legislation of the state of their residence, international treaties of the Republic of Tajikistan, international customs, protect their rights and legally protected interests, and, if necessary, take measures to restore the violated rights of citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan. A citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan cannot be extradited to another state, except in cases provided for by interstate agreements of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The Republic of Tajikistan encourages the acquisition of citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan by stateless persons and does not prevent them from acquiring other citizenship. A person who is not a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan, who has outstanding services to the Republic of Tajikistan or the world community, may be granted honorary citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan with his consent. Honorary citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan enjoy the rights of citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Thus, a person who is a citizen of Tajikistan is not recognized as belonging to the citizenship of a foreign state, with the exception of cases provided for by interstate agreements of Tajikistan (a similar agreement concluded with Russia was discussed and analyzed above).

Citizenship Turkmenistan, being an integral attribute of the state sovereignty of Turkmenistan, determines the belonging of a person to the state and a stable legal relationship between them, the totality of their mutual rights and obligations. A citizen of Turkmenistan cannot be deprived of citizenship or the right to change it. Citizenship is equal for all citizens of Turkmenistan, regardless of the grounds for its acquisition.

A citizen of Turkmenistan cannot be expelled from the state or limited in the right to return to his homeland. A citizen of Turkmenistan cannot be extradited to another state, unless it is provided for by interstate agreements of Turkmenistan or international legal acts (agreements, conventions), if Turkmenistan is a party to them.

IN last years Since 2003, many Turkmen citizens, who also have Russian citizenship, have been removed from the permanent register at the Russian Embassy in Ashgabat and left Turkmenistan. The reason for the beginning of the exodus from Turkmenistan was the unilateral decision of the country's leadership, according to which Russians with a second citizenship of Turkmenistan could be deprived of one of their two citizenships within two months.

The question of the need to choose one citizenship out of two was raised on April 22, 2003 by the President of Turkmenistan. In accordance with the decree he signed, it was ordered to provide persons who received dual citizenship on the basis of the Agreement between Turkmenistan and Russia on the settlement of issues of dual citizenship of December 23, 1993, the right to choose the citizenship of one country within two months. In accordance with the decree, persons with citizenship of both countries, permanently residing in Turkmenistan and not reporting which citizenship they would prefer, are considered citizens of Turkmenistan. Citizens permanently residing in other states, with the exception of those who are wanted for crimes committed, on the contrary, may be forcibly deprived of Turkmen citizenship. They had to report the choice of citizenship to the consular offices of the republic within two months. If they do not do this, they lose their Turkmen citizenship.

This decree of the President of Turkmenistan contradicts the Law of September 30, 1992 "On the citizenship of Turkmenistan", which does not provide for the possibility of deprivation of citizenship. Termination of citizenship is provided for by this Law in the following cases:

a) voluntary withdrawal;

b) if a citizen entered the military service, the security service, the police, the justice authorities or other authorities and administrations of another state;

c) acquired citizenship as a result of knowingly providing false information or forged documents.

Since the Law on Citizenship grants the right to citizens of Turkmenistan to have citizenship of other countries (Article 9), in this regard, the actions of the country's leadership are contrary to the norms of the Law.

Citizenship Uzbekistan determines the permanent political and legal relationship between the person and the state, which is expressed in their mutual rights and obligations. Citizenship of Uzbekistan is equal for everyone, regardless of the grounds for its acquisition. Citizens of Uzbekistan are equal before the law, regardless of origin, social and property status, race and nationality, gender, education, language, attitude to religion, political and other beliefs, type and nature of occupation. The residence of a citizen of Uzbekistan abroad does not entail the termination of citizenship of Uzbekistan. A citizen cannot be expelled to a foreign state, unless otherwise provided by an international treaty.

Foreign citizens and stateless persons may, at their request, be admitted to the citizenship of Uzbekistan in accordance with the Law and regardless of origin, social and property status, race and nationality, gender, education, language, attitude to religion, political and other beliefs. The first condition for acceptance is the renunciation of foreign citizenship. But this requirement may not be taken into account in exceptional cases by decision of the President of Uzbekistan in relation to individuals who have outstanding services to Uzbekistan or high achievements in the field of science, technology and culture, as well as having a profession or qualification of interest to Uzbekistan. In exceptional cases, compatriots - citizens of a foreign state, at their request and the conclusion of a special commission by the decision of the President of Uzbekistan, can also be accepted as citizenship of Uzbekistan if they or their parents, grandfather or grandmother were once forced to leave their homeland in connection with the regime that existed at that time .

IN Ukraine Currently, the Law “On Citizenship of Ukraine” adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on February 18, 2001 is in force. According to Art. 4 of the Constitution of Ukraine and art. 3 of the Law of Ukraine "On Citizenship of Ukraine" in Ukraine there is a single citizenship.

Foreigners and stateless persons may be admitted to the citizenship of Ukraine at their request. Acceptance conditions are:

1) recognition and implementation of the Constitution of Ukraine and laws of Ukraine;

2) non-stay in foreign citizenship;

3) continuous legal residence on the territory of Ukraine during the last five years;

4) the obligation to terminate foreign citizenship and the submission of a declaration of renunciation of foreign citizenship;

5) knowledge of the Ukrainian language in a volume sufficient for communication;

6) availability of legal sources of subsistence.

Citizenship of Ukraine is terminated, in particular, if a citizen of Ukraine has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of another state. Thus, the current legislation of Ukraine does not provide for the institution of dual citizenship.

Based on the above, the following conclusions can be drawn.

• From the CIS countries Russian Federation. Kazakhstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan. Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, in exceptional cases, in accordance with national legislation, interstate agreements, or at the conclusion of special bodies (the Republic of Uzbekistan), allow dual citizenship.
• The Law of Ukraine dated January 18, 2001 “On Citizenship of Ukraine” states that if a citizen of Ukraine has acquired citizenship (citizenship) of another state or states, then in legal relations with Ukraine he is recognized only as a citizen of Ukraine. If a foreigner has acquired the citizenship of Ukraine, then in legal relations with Ukraine he is recognized only as a citizen of Ukraine (clause 1, article 2). The condition for acceptance into the citizenship of Ukraine is the obligation to terminate foreign citizenship or not stay in foreign citizenship (clause 2, article 9).
• Laws on Citizenship of the Republic of Georgia of March 25, 1993 (Article 1). of the Kyrgyz Republic dated December 18, 1993 (Article 5), dual citizenship is not allowed for citizens of the country.

Acquisition of dual citizenship. The constitutional recognition of dual citizenship led to its preservation in the current Law on Russian Citizenship of 2002, although in a slightly different sense compared to the previous law.

In part 1 of Art. 6 of the Law states: “A citizen of the Russian Federation who also has another citizenship is considered by the Russian Federation only as a citizen of the Russian Federation, except as otherwise provided by an international treaty of the Russian Federation or federal law.” Part 2 of the same article states that the acquisition by a citizen of the Russian Federation of another citizenship does not entail the termination of citizenship of the Russian Federation.

Another understanding of dual citizenship in the draft Law is related to the rejection of the practice of generating actual dual citizenship. This is manifested through the requirement to renounce foreign citizenship upon admission to the citizenship of the Russian Federation. Thus, the norm of Part 1 of Art. 3 of the Law "On Citizenship of the RSFSR" in the original version of November 28, 1991

In all cases, in order to acquire dual citizenship, it is necessary for a citizen to apply to the competent state authorities, to give permission to a citizen for a second citizenship, to obtain citizenship only of the country with which the CIS member state has an agreement on dual citizenship. The procedure for acquiring a second citizenship is similar to acquiring a foreign citizenship in the usual way.

Dual citizenship as a way to protect the rights of compatriots. The recognition of dual citizenship in the Russian Federation at the constitutional level, however, does not at all mean the possibility of its wide granting to one's own citizens living in Russia. According to O.E. Kutafin, “... our state is not interested in the fact that Russian citizens actively use the opportunity provided by the state to obtain citizenship of another state. If earlier the inadmissibility of this institution was associated with the need to control political reliability, then its current, let's say, undesirability is explained by the desire for civil stability. 13 Kutafin O.E. Dual citizenship is not a "double bottom" // Rossiyskie vesti. 1996. November 15..

The foregoing emphasizes the selective nature of dual citizenship: firstly, dual citizenship is not designed for mass application; secondly, the potential of dual citizenship is realized only when a person moves from one state to another, for which, at a minimum, appropriate opportunities are needed. In today's conditions, the constant rise in prices for means of communication and transport artificially breaks the ties between people living not only in different countries but also within the country. Therefore, dual citizenship is attractive not so much for those who want to receive the support of ethnic compatriots, but for a certain social stratum: entrepreneurs, scientists, people of creative professions, whose interests require constant movement from one country to another, who have become “citizens of the world”, who are “cramped” within the borders one state 14 For Russian businessman obtaining a visa to a particular country often takes longer than negotiating and signing a contract. A natural reaction to this is the desire of many Russian entrepreneurs to obtain a residence permit or citizenship of another country / London House of a Russian businessman // Obozrevatel. 1994. No. 10. S. 38..

Nevertheless, it is obvious that, despite the wording of the constitutional norm, the institution of dual citizenship in the Russian Federation should also be considered as a way to protect the rights of compatriots living abroad.

After the collapse of the USSR, according to various sources, from 20 to 25 million compatriots, Russians by nationality or who consider themselves Russian-speaking, turned out to be outside of Russia, of which 11.5 million - in Ukraine, 6.3 million - in Kazakhstan, about 3 million - in Transcaucasia and Central Asia, about 1.4 million in the Baltics. The largest part of these persons, in accordance with the laws on citizenship adopted in the states of their residence, became citizens of these states. In many republics of the former USSR, outright ethnic discrimination is taking place, the rights of the non-indigenous population are being infringed, which gives rise to a flow of migration to Russia. In Tajikistan, for example, from the beginning of 1989 to the end of 1993 Russian population decreased by 4 times 15 Panarin S. A friend among strangers. Russians in the Near Abroad // Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 1994. February 19.. In general, over the 10 years of the Law "On Citizenship of the RSFSR" Russian citizenship was acquired by 4.5 million people, including 1.8 million who acquired the citizenship of the Russian Federation while living outside of it.

For ethnic Russians living in these states, the opportunity to participate in the domestic life of the country is weakened, and the process of turning them into persons of the “second class” is underway. At the same time, the remaining compatriots wish to maintain traditional legal, social, economic and cultural ties with Russia.

Under these conditions, a political and legal solution was required for the current situation in which Russians and other immigrants from Russia found themselves in the CIS and Baltic states, as well as people of other nationalities in Russia. As one of the main ways to solve this problem, it was proposed to develop the institution of dual citizenship in the Russian Federation. It is understood that the granting of dual citizenship automatically enacts Part 2 of Art. 61 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which states that Russia guarantees its citizens protection and patronage outside its borders.

When considering dual citizenship in this aspect, the wording of Part 1 of Art. 62 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which states that a citizen of the Russian Federation may have the citizenship of a foreign state (dual citizenship) in accordance with federal law or an international treaty of the Russian Federation. Thus, it does not say anything about the possibility of acquiring Russian citizenship by foreign citizens, which are now ethnic Russians in the CIS and Baltic countries. Considering that the new Law on Citizenship of the Russian Federation, like the previous one, also does not say anything about this in the norm on dual citizenship, this possibility can be established by the said federal law or international treaties. In addition, as stated in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, dual citizenship is acquired in the presence of a federal law or an international treaty, although it is obvious that instead of the union “or”, it is more expedient to use the union “and” in this norm. This is explained by the fact that an international treaty and federal law, as different sources of law, should not be interchangeable and even more mutually exclusive, but should act in concert with each other.

The constitutional reference to federal law and (or) an international treaty hinders the realization of the right to dual citizenship, turning, in essence, Part 1 of Art. 62 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation into a declarative norm. The Citizenship Law of 2002, like the previous one, does not regulate the conditions and procedure for acquiring dual citizenship. As for Russia's international treaties on dual citizenship, Russia has only signed two such treaties - with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. At the same time, the Agreement on dual citizenship between Russia and Turkmenistan was terminated in early April 2003. The reluctance of other states - the republics of the former USSR to conclude such agreements is due to the fact that they tend to consider the recognition of dual citizenship as an attempt to infringe on their sovereignty.

play their role here Negative consequences dual citizenship, which by its nature cannot be expected to be granted en masse, since its spread can lead to destabilization of the state-legal system. Dual citizenship will not solve interethnic and interstate problems; moreover, it will create new ones. For example, dual citizenship contributes to the influx to Russia from neighboring countries not only of ethnic Russians, but also representatives of indigenous nations migrating to Russia due to social instability in their republics.

Despite the need to protect and support compatriots living outside the Russian Federation. we should not forget that in Russia itself, millions of its citizens are in distress.

The maximalist desire to “protect Russians wherever they live” is limited by the principles of international law. Restrictions on diplomatic protection are enshrined in Art. 4 of the Hague Convention of 1930, according to which a state is not entitled to exercise diplomatic protection of its citizen in relation to another state whose citizenship this person also possesses. This means, for example, that a person who has Russian and Tajik citizenship. Russia has the right to protect all over the world, except for Tajikistan, and vice versa. With regard to social security, there are no such restrictions.

So, part 3 of Art. 3 of the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan on the settlement of issues of dual citizenship states: "The provision of this paragraph does not prejudice the right of any Party to grant rights and benefits in the field of social security to persons who are citizens of both Parties and residing in the territory of the other Party." When granting legal dual citizenship, the principle of "effective citizenship" applies, and as long as a person's effective citizenship remains the citizenship of another republic, his Russian citizenship is "sleeping". It will only be activated when circumstances change, such as a change permanent place residence or stay.

The negative attitude towards dual citizenship in the CIS and Baltic countries is also explained by the unwillingness to deepen the social split of society, in conditions where one part of it has two citizenships. Those ethnic Russians who do not see the prospect of moving to Russia are more inclined to acquire local national citizenship and assimilation than to acquire a second citizenship, which causes such a negative attitude from local authorities.

The foregoing indicates that dual citizenship cannot serve as an effective way to support ethnic Russians living in the territories of the former Soviet republics of the USSR. One should not overestimate the possibilities of dual citizenship and one should not see a way out in solving interethnic problems exclusively in it. Concerning the problem legal status compatriots, there must be other ways to resolve this issue, for example, bilateral agreements, the subject of which is the protection of national minorities. It is necessary to comply with the Commonwealth of Independent States Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of May 26, 1995 (ratified by Russia on November 4, 1995), concluded by the CIS member states.

A more favorable alternative to dual citizenship may be the possibility of establishing, under appropriate conditions, a common citizenship, an example of which is the union citizenship of Russia and Belarus, as well as the common citizenship of the European Union.

Dual citizenship is the acquisition by a person of the citizenship of a second state while maintaining the status of a citizen of the Russian Federation. Such an action on the territory of Russia is recognized only if a person receives a passport of Turkmenistan or Tajikistan. This is due to the fact that the Moscow Government signed an agreement on dual citizenship only with these countries.

However, a person can receive other citizenships, and even their number is not specified, but they will be called not dual, but second. As for the second citizenship, Russian legislation is silent about it. In practice, it is generally accepted that one can have it if the laws of the respective state do not require the renunciation of Russian citizenship.

What documents are required?

Such a difficult situation is observed only from the formal side, while from the practical side everything is much simpler. How to make dual citizenship? This requires the following documents:

1. Documentation that serves as an indication of the grounds for obtaining it.
2. An existing passport translated into the language of the host country.
3. A document confirming the legality of staying abroad (for example, a visa or residence permit).
4. A receipt indicating payment for the services of migration authorities.

Design algorithm

Instructions on how to apply for dual citizenship:

• The list of documents for its adoption and the requirements for documentation are determined by the regulatory legal acts of the respective state. In most cases, the basis is residence on its territory for a long period of time (usually from 2 to 5 years). Often it is formalized when making large investments in the development of the economic sector, belonging to the indigenous nations of the country, special merits to the people, etc. The collection, execution and submission of documents for consideration will differ each time, with the determining factor being the basis.
• Some countries require renunciation of previous citizenship (for example, Russia). To confirm this fact, a photocopy of the refusal, previously certified by a notary, can be sent to the migration service. Additionally, a receipt is attached indicating that this document has been sent to the Embassy of your state. For some Governments, this paper does not matter until the person has completed all the formalities for exit. In some cases, the status is automatically lost upon receipt of another (for example, Uzbekistan). It follows from this that before starting the registration procedure, it is possible and necessary to clarify all the nuances.
• On a full basis, a newborn baby acquires the status of several countries at once if his parents have different citizenships and the legal documents of these states imply that the child receives this status. In most cases, you do not even need to go through formal procedures, some Governments, in order to obtain dual citizenship, establish the need to visit a diplomatic mission or service.
• A baby can get if he was born in the territory of another state. For example, such a scheme operates in the United States - every child born in America automatically acquires its status. This is due to the minimal chances of obtaining permission to cross the border during pregnancy.

The legislative framework

Dual citizenship in the territory of the Russian Federation is established by Art. 62 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the corresponding Federal Law. On the basis of the given legislative base, a Russian may have the registration of another country, if this does not contradict the legislation of the Russian Federation, and also if there are agreements with these states.

Attention! Obtaining the status of another state does not entail the termination of citizenship of the Russian authorities, while the person retains all his rights and obligations.

As mentioned earlier, the Moscow Government has signed an agreement with only two states - Tajikistan and Turkmenistan (see Federal Law No. 152 of 1996, Federal Law No. 41 of 1994). No sanctions, if you decide to obtain the status of a citizen of another country, are not established by law, which is what a huge number of Russians use.

Are there any restrictions?

It is important to mention limitations. So, they can't get it:

1. Persons performing civil service (see Federal Law No. 79 of 2004). They cannot enter the civil service in other countries if they are registered in Russia;
2. Spouses and children of persons entering the civil service. They will not be able to get another registration. In case of violation of the legislative norm, a sanction is applied to them - dismissal, the basis for this will be the loss of confidence.

Obtaining the status of a citizen of another country will allow you to solve the problems associated with obtaining a visa for moving abroad. If he lives in several places at once, then it will be easier for him to get it than to regularly deal with the procedure for obtaining permission to cross the border. Of course, there are also disadvantages. For example, you will have to pay taxes to the budget of another Government or other executive authority provided for by law.

Dual citizenship in the Russian Federation is a fairly common status, which has some subtleties that its owner must understand and take into account. What does it mean in practical terms, how acceptable is the use of passports of other countries in different situations, what difficulties does this status create or what opportunities does it open?

We are interested in considering the issue only on the basis of the provisions of the Legislation of the Russian Federation. It is characterized by sufficient softness in this regard, unlike some countries where such a status becomes a reason for restrictions.

It is important to understand that “dual citizenship” is a rather narrowly applicable category, which is fully met only in two cases. The recognition of dual citizenship by the Russian Federation is associated with the existence of an agreement between the Russian Federation and the second country to which the citizen belongs.

In what cases is dual citizenship possible in the Russian Federation?

Now an agreement that allows recognition of citizenship in two countries at the same time exists only with Tajikistan under an agreement dated September 7, 1995. This means that by becoming a citizen of Russia, a person does not lose all his rights in his homeland, in Tajikistan.

The second country for whose citizen such a situation is possible is Turkmenistan, but with a reservation. Its meaning is that dual citizenship is recognized only for those who became a citizen of Russia while the agreement was in effect, which was signed on December 23, 1993 and not renewed on May 18, 2015.

These are two examples of dual citizenship in a legally “ideal” form. But this does not mean at all that there is some kind of ban on having citizenship of another country for a Russian “by passport”. The right to have citizenship in another state is stipulated by part 2 of Art. 62 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and with the exact indication - being a citizen of Russia and another state, a person does not lose his rights and freedoms in the Russian Federation and is not exempt from obligations to Russia. This can be disclosed as a guarantee of the right to have civil obligations and status in other countries without restriction on the rights of a citizen in the Russian Federation, if he himself has not renounced this status in Russia earlier.

Important! Russian legislation considers the holder of a second citizenship only as a citizen of the Russian Federation, but does not require him to remain a citizen of any one country, for example, only Russia. This is enshrined in parts 1 and 2 of Art. 6 of the Federal Law "On Citizenship of the Russian Federation" dated May 31, 2002 N 62-FZ.

Thus, the state is not interested in your relations with another country, does not interfere in them, but requires you to fulfill your obligations to Russia and guarantees the rights enjoyed by a Russian citizen.

Can a citizen of Russia have a second citizenship

If a Russian citizen seeks to obtain citizenship in a country where renunciation of obligations to Russia is not required, then this status remains with the citizen without restrictions and additional conditions. But we must not forget that being a citizen also means having obligations, and not just rights.

Confirmation of citizenship of the Russian Federation (clauses 51, 52 of the Regulations on the procedure for considering issues of citizenship of the Russian Federation) allows you to retain another citizenship, although this has its own characteristics in terms of citizenship for minors.

Read the website article for details:

So, the legislation of the Russian Federation does not restrict the right to have one or more citizenships, but requires a citizen to report them to the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation in writing within a certain period.

It is very important to understand that this applies only to Russian Legislation, while other states may put forward completely different, much more stringent requirements in this matter!

Example: it is possible that the acquisition of a second citizenship or long-term residence in another country without marks in the consular service is the reason for the automatic denial of citizenship. This means that by accepting the citizenship of the Russian Federation, a citizen of another country must find out whether this will entail the loss of his former civil status.

Is it possible to obtain citizenship of the Russian Federation without leaving another citizenship

You can get the status of a citizen of the Russian Federation provided that a citizen of another country has applied to the appropriate authorities to leave his original citizenship. Regardless of the possibility of a simplified or general order obtaining Russian citizenship, you should have a document confirming the application for withdrawal from the original citizenship or the impossibility of exit.

It is important! Renunciation of the citizenship of many countries is very difficult, so we are talking about the application or refusal, and not the requirement of the very exit.

An application for renunciation of the citizenship of another country can be drawn up in any form, it is important that it be endorsed in the appropriate authorities of another country, where the legislation may not consider such a document to be correct - this means that you will have to fill out exactly the form prescribed by law! No one will simply register a statement on a piece of paper, and this will not be an “appeal”.

Many Russians dream of immigrating to the developed countries and subsequently become their subjects. However, not all of them are ready to renounce Russian citizenship. The presence of citizenship of several states is convenient for businessmen, investors and persons whose families live abroad. Is dual citizenship allowed in Russia? What is the legal status of dual nationals?

Dual citizenship and dual citizenship: what's the difference?

Dual citizenship is considered to be the presence of citizenship of two or more countries by one person, provided that international agreements have been concluded between them on the legal status of persons with two citizenships. Thus, he performs the duties of a citizen of the country where he currently lives.

The Constitution of the Russian Federation states that the second citizenship implies that a Russian citizen has the citizenship of another state, provided that there are no international agreements between their authorities. How many citizenships can you have besides Russian? As much as you like, but you need to remember that no country exempts its citizen from his legal obligations.

Russians are not prohibited from having the citizenship of another state

Is it allowed to have dual citizenship in Russia?

The term "dual citizenship" refers to cases where the authorities of two states have entered into an agreement on resolving disputes related to the status of persons with dual citizenship (FZ No. 62).

Agreements of the Russian Federation on dual citizenship

In practice, there are only two cases where dual citizenship is possible.

In the first case, we are talking about an agreement between the Russian Federation and Tajikistan, which was concluded on September 7, 1995 and exists today. It says that a citizen of Tajikistan, upon obtaining a Russian passport, retains his former citizenship.

The second case concerns the agreement between the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan concluded on 12/23/1993. It ceased to operate on 05/18/2015. Citizens of Turkmenistan who received Russian passports during the period of validity of this agreement, may not renounce Turkmen citizenship.

The above cases also apply to Russians with citizenship of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. At the same time, they do not lose the status of citizens of the Russian Federation. Similar cases are extremely rare in practice. But this does not mean that Russians are prohibited from holding passports of other countries.

When is multiple citizenship not allowed?

It is strictly forbidden to have a second citizenship:

• persons entering the civil service, if this is not provided for by international treaties;
• founders or members of the media;
• media editorial staff;
• founders and owners of more than 20% of media shares;
• employees of other broadcasting organizations;
• members of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation;
• members of election commissions with a decisive vote.

Deputies of the State Duma, like other civil servants, are prohibited from having a second citizenship

In addition, the State Duma is considering a bill banning the possession of a residence permit or other similar document by citizens of the Russian Federation holding public service positions, and their children and spouses.

Can a Russian citizen be a citizen of another country?

On the basis of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Russians are not prohibited from obtaining the status of a citizen in other states.

1. A citizen of the Russian Federation may have citizenship of a foreign state (dual citizenship) in accordance with federal law or an international treaty of the Russian Federation.

2. The fact that a citizen of the Russian Federation has citizenship of a foreign state does not detract from his rights and freedoms and does not release him from obligations arising from Russian citizenship, unless otherwise provided by federal law or an international treaty of the Russian Federation.

3. Foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation enjoy the rights and bear obligations on an equal footing with citizens of the Russian Federation, except in cases established by federal law or an international treaty of the Russian Federation.

Constitution of the Russian Federation, article 62

http://constrf.ru/section-1/glava-2/st-62-krf

In which countries is it permissible for a Russian to acquire a second citizenship

As noted above, the Russian Federation has an agreement on issues of dual citizenship only with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. In addition, Russians can obtain passports from the following states without renouncing their citizenship:

• Australia,
• Azerbaijan,
• Argentina,
• Armenia,
• Brazil,
• Great Britain,
• Greece,
• Georgia,
• Dominican Republic,
• Israel,
• Ireland,
• Italy,
• Canada,
• Kyrgyzstan,
• New Zealand
• Serbia,
• Turkey,
• Uzbekistan,
• Finland,
• France,
• Czech Republic,
• Chile,
• Jamaica.

You cannot obtain a second citizenship in the following countries:

• Belarus,
• Germany,
• India,
• Kazakhstan,
• China,
• Latvia,
• Lithuania,
• Malta,
• Poland,
• Ukraine,
• Croatia,
• Estonia,
• South Korea,
• Japan.

Features of the laws of Ukraine, Belarus, Germany and the USA

When applying for Ukrainian citizenship, a Russian must first file a petition to renounce citizenship of the Russian Federation. At the same time, a Ukrainian passport is issued immediately after sending a request for renunciation of citizenship to the address of the Russian embassy. But this is not always accompanied by a loss of citizenship, since the application is not always approved at the embassy. Therefore, in practice it often happens that a citizen of Ukraine is at the same time a citizen of the Russian Federation.

The authorities of the Republic of Belarus do not issue "second" passports. There are no exceptions for Russian citizens.

The German authorities have imposed strict ban to have a second citizenship for their citizens. Obtaining the status of a citizen of this country will be allowed only if you renounce your previous citizenship. However, you can still get a second passport. Children under the age of 21 born in marriages of German citizens with foreigners have this right. Upon reaching this age, they have the right to choose citizenship. In addition, exceptional circumstances under which it is allowed to have a passport of another country are advanced age, the presence of serious diseases, financial distress (it is assumed that a foreigner cannot pay the fee for renunciation of citizenship).

Russians can get a US passport provided that they were born in this country, are the children of Americans, or have lived here for more than 5 years and have a valid residence permit. After obtaining citizenship, you must take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States, and young people 18-27 years old must stand on military registration. However, if a citizen of the United States does not permanently reside in the country, he may lose his citizenship.

Video: the law of the Russian Federation on dual citizenship

Rules for notification and registration in the FMS

Russians must notify the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the presence of a passport of another country within 60 days from the date of its receipt. The corresponding notification letter can be submitted directly at the place of permanent registration or current residence and by registered mail. Those who live outside the Russian Federation send a notification only upon arrival in the country. The period of 60 days is counted from the moment of crossing the border.

Documents are submitted by the citizen himself or his representative in the presence of a notarized power of attorney. When it comes to minors, their interests are represented by their parents or guardians.

The notification form is approved by Article 6 Part 8 of the Federal Law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”. It can be downloaded on the website of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the link.

To the list required documents In addition to the completed notification form, copies of:

• a general civil passport of the Russian Federation or a birth certificate in the case of minors;
• passports of a foreign state;
• documents confirming citizenship in a foreign state;
• documents from the guardianship and guardianship authorities, if the citizen is incapacitated or has limited capacity.

Registration with the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is mandatory. This measure is intended to form a database of citizens of the Russian Federation with dual citizenship.

On obtaining citizenship of a foreign state, Russians must notify the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Migration

Fines and other penalties for failure to notify

Failure to comply with the requirement threatens with criminal liability (Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, Article 330.2), namely a fine, the maximum amount of which can be up to 200 thousand rubles or the equivalent of a salary or income for 12 months. Also, violators can be sent to carry out public works up to 400 hours. Persons with citizenship of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Russians who permanently reside abroad are exempted from the mandatory notification of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Video: what can threaten the concealment of a second citizenship

Bipatrides: their rights, duties and responsibilities

Bipatride is a person who is simultaneously a citizen of two states. This concept also applies to persons with two or more citizenships.

The legal status of persons with multiple citizenship was determined by the Hague Convention of 1930. The introductory part of the Convention states that it is important to prevent all situations that entail the acquisition of dual citizenship.

The document also states that no country has the right to carry out diplomatic protection of dual nationals against states of which they are also citizens. If the bipatride is in the territory of third countries, then he is considered as a citizen of the state where he lives, has closer ties, or receives a permanent income. In some situations, the principle of “effective citizenship” is applied: a bipatride is considered a citizen of the country where he usually exercises his rights and freedoms.

However, Art. 62 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation allows its citizens to have citizenship of other countries. In 6 st. Federal Law No. 62 states that Russians with passports of other states are considered only as citizens of the Russian Federation. At the same time, the acquisition of the status of a citizen of a foreign state is not a reason for the loss of citizenship of the Russian Federation and does not cancel the rights and freedoms provided for by Russian legislation.

The right to obtain citizenship of foreign states is enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation

Possible problems of dual nationals

The rights and obligations of dual nationals should be stipulated in international agreements between countries. However, in practice this is extremely rare. In particular, there are problems with taxation, military service, work in government structures. For example, citizens of the Russian Federation permanently living abroad are exempted from military service, while the condition for retaining the citizenship of Germany and Turkey is military service on the territory of these countries. And also problems arise for dual nationals with citizenships of both the Russian Federation and Muslim states that recognize polygamy. Russian legislation does not recognize polygamy, and in this regard, there are problems with the status of wives, as well as the division of property in the event of the death of a bipatride.

Russians are not prohibited from having dual citizenship. Citizens of the Russian Federation must report the fact of obtaining a passport of foreign states to the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs within a 60-day period. When concealing the fact of obtaining citizenship of another country, criminal liability is provided.