What is citizenship? Modern citizenship is not always nationality

Citizenship of the Russian Federation- a stable legal connection of a person with the Russian Federation, expressed in the totality of their mutual rights and obligations. According to the current legislation, citizens of Russia, that is, individuals with citizenship of the Russian Federation, are:

  • persons who have Russian citizenship on the date of entry into force of the Federal Law "On Citizenship of the Russian Federation" of 2002 (that is, on July 1, 2002), and who subsequently did not terminate Russian citizenship;
  • persons who have acquired Russian citizenship in accordance with the Federal Law "On Citizenship of the Russian Federation" of 2002.

Obtaining citizenship of the Russian Federation in a simplified manner

The right to a simplified process, first of all, is received by migrants who permanently live in the territory of the state. Also, foreign citizens whose ancestors lived in Tsarist Russia or the USSR, but within the limits of the now existing state.

One of the indispensable conditions for this category of persons is the mandatory renunciation of current citizenship. However, there are exceptions to the rule when this is not necessary. Exceptions include those situations that are regulated by Russia's international agreements.

The accelerated procedure can be used by persons who are Russian speakers or have a sufficient level of Russian. In this case, there is no need to have and the need to comply with the conditions of long-term residence in Russia. Also, you do not need to take a test in the Russian language. All that is needed is to pass an interview with a commission that is specially created for such cases.

Recently, fast track applications have been considered based on workload. The maximum waiting period is only three months. Residents of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Belarus can start the process of obtaining Russian citizenship without any problems.

The accelerated citizenship process has particular advantages. Firstly, the period of consideration of the application is reduced. Secondly, it reduces the time permanent residence on the territory of the Russian Federation. Migrants can get special visas. The purpose of issuing these documents is to obtain citizenship with subsequent acquisition. At the same time, persons applying for citizenship will not need a temporary residence permit. This is the main reason for reducing the procedure for obtaining citizenship.

Obtaining citizenship of the Russian Federation in a general manner

If a person does not fall under the above description, then citizenship can only be obtained through the standard procedure. The main criteria for obtaining citizenship is reaching the age of majority and being able to work. The migrant is required to have a permanent income, which he can confirm.



To start registration of citizenship, the applicant must contact the branch of the Federal Migration Service at the place of residence and submit an application. However, some conditions must be met:

  • the presence of issued;
  • permanent residence on the territory of the Russian Federation for more than five years from the date of receipt;
  • legal income;
  • renunciation of current citizenship;
  • proficiency in Russian.

The last point is necessarily confirmed by passing special testing. At the same time, migrants have the opportunity to reduce the period of residence in Russia by one year, provided that:

  • there are special merits in such areas as cultural or technical;
  • the migrant has a specialization that is valuable for the Russian Federation;
  • the applicant asks for political asylum;
  • the person is a refugee.

The procedure for obtaining citizenship takes place in several steps:

  • cross the Russian border;
  • check in;
  • issue a permit for the VP;
  • issue a residence permit;
  • get the status of a citizen.

Migrants, depending on the international agreement with a particular country, must first obtain a visa. When crossing the border, a migration card will be issued, where there will be a mark on the fact of entry into the country. After that, the applicant has seven days, during which he is obliged to notify the district office of the Migration Service of his arrival.

Citizenship of the Russian Federation should be understood as a fixed type of relationship between a person who lives in Russia and the state. It is important to add that these relations determine their mutual duties and rights. The main duty of the parties is to protect security and interests. You need to know that the definition and principles of Russian citizenship are enshrined in the current Constitution. How to get Russian citizenship? What method is considered the most optimal? Why? These and other equally interesting questions can be answered by reading this article.

Obtaining Russian citizenship

To begin with, it would be appropriate to note that the citizenship of the Russian Federation implies equality, unity, the right to change it, the possibility of deprivation. In addition, a significant feature is the right to acquire citizenship of the two countries. It is important to know that the people who live on its territory today are encouraged in one way or another. To acquire the appropriate status, you must have some grounds. These may include various methods. How to get citizenship of the Russian Federation? Currently, the following methods are considered relevant:

  • Right of birth.
  • Restoring the status in question.
  • Receiving as a specific process.
  • Obtaining Russian citizenship in accordance with a legal marriage with a Russian.

More about naturalization


Naturalization is acquisition by foreigners of a civil passport if the conditions and requirements specified in the current law on Russian citizenship are met. To date, general and simplified assignment options are provided. this status. It is important to note that those who previously had it or were never considered a citizen of a particular country can easily and quickly acquire Russian citizenship. Means, naturalization is often the process of obtaining citizenship by former spouses of foreigners or ordinary emigrants who decide to return home.

It is important to note that getting Russian passport possibly due to marriage. However, citizenship of the Russian Federation on the above grounds can be obtained only if evidence of cohabitation in the country is provided. Currently, the term for familiarization with the relevant application due to marriage has been reduced to six months. It should be remembered that getting citizenship is naturalization, which excludes marriages contracted abroad. In addition, civil relations are also not considered.

General grounds for granting status

Citizenship Russian Federation upon receipt of it on a general basis depends on the following conditions:

  • The applicant has legally resided in Russia on a residence permit for at least five years.
  • The applicant has a regular source of income.
  • The applicant knows Russian.
  • The applicant renounced other citizenship.

Today there is a category of persons for whom to obtain Russian citizenship in the order naturalization is quite simple and fast procedure. As a rule, it takes one year. It would be appropriate to include here highly qualified specialists, as well as people with a profession that is relevant for the country. In addition, we are talking about prominent figures in the arts, sports, culture and science, as well as humanitarian and political refugees.

Registration abroad


It is interesting to know that at present, Russian citizenship can also be obtained while staying abroad. Such a design is very beneficial. To do this, it is necessary to formulate a competent request, and then transfer the document to the employees of the diplomatic consulate or representative office in accordance with the place of residence of the requesting person. Similar option naturalization is the simplest version of the facilitated doom of Russian citizenship. It should be borne in mind that in this case the documentation must be executed flawlessly. It is then that the applicant can obtain citizenship no later than six months later.

General documentation

You should be aware that the registration of the status in question today is considered impossible without the timely and correct submission of documents. For gaining Russian citizenship The following paperwork must be provided to the FTS employees:

  • An application drawn up in accordance with certain rules in two copies.
  • Three photographs 30x40 millimeters.
  • Receipt confirming payment state duty, or consular fee.
  • Identity paper.
  • Certificate from the place of residence regarding the presence of permanent registration. If this information is available in the documentation, then there is no need for help.
  • Explanatory documents in case of change of surname.

Simplified citizenship



Today, obtaining Russian citizenship in accordance with the simplified procedure is carried out quite quickly and easily when the following requirements and conditions are met:

  • The applicant is foreign citizen or individual, not endowed with any status, but permanently residing on the territory of Russia.
  • The applicant's registration at the place of residence.
  • The applicant has a legal sufficient source of income.
  • The fact of filing an application for renunciation of previous citizenship.

Current grounds


You need to know that the request for citizenship of the Russian Federation in accordance with the simplified scheme is possible today due to the following reasons:

  • The applicant has a parent (father or mother) with permanent registration.
  • The challenger is former citizen USSR, provided that it does not have civil status.
  • The applicant has been officially married to a Russian citizen for three years.
  • The applicant is considered disabled, and his adult and capable children are citizens of the Russian Federation.

What else?

In addition to the above grounds for obtaining Russian citizenship, the following items are currently relevant:

  • The applicant was trained in accordance with state programs after 2002 and has been working in the specialty for at least three years.
  • The challenger is individual entrepreneur and has been working under the Russian OKVED for at least three years (an explicit condition here is revenue that equals or exceeds 10,000,000 rubles).
  • The applicant is considered a major investor; its share is not less than 10% of the authorized capital, provided its value exceeds 100,000,000 rubles.
  • The applicant is a specialist whose professional activity is included in the list of the most demanded specialties. An important condition here is the term of its work, equal to three years.
  • The applicant is officially recognized as a native speaker and legally resides in the Russian Federation.


It should be added that until 2007, absolutely every child was issued a paper confirming the status of a citizen. Starting from 2002, a special document was obligatory issued for him, without which it was impossible to obtain a general passport or a foreign one. In 2007, liners were abolished. As of today, the rules are as follows:

  • The civil status insert in the child's passport is considered valid.
  • The status is legally fixed when the child's parents are citizens of the Russian Federation, but the child himself does not have a corresponding insert in his passport.

Citizenship is one of the main legal categories, concepts, indicating the legal affiliation of a person to a particular state, from this connection arise the mutual rights and obligations of the state and its citizen, their responsibility to each other. Citizenship is synonymous with citizenship - a category used in countries where the monarchy has been preserved.

Citizenship of the Russian Federation is a stable legal relationship of a person with the Russian Federation, expressed in the totality of their mutual rights and obligations. Citizenship issues are regulated by the Federal Law "On Citizenship of the Russian Federation". It establishes the procedure for its acquisition, renunciation of citizenship, principles, etc.

Russian citizenship has several principles of its legal regulation:

1. the principle of non-discrimination,

2. the principle of single and equal citizenship, regardless of the grounds for its acquisition,

3. the principle of retaining citizenship for citizens living outside the Russian Federation,

The principle of single and equal citizenship lies in the fact that citizens who have acquired citizenship (i.e., naturalized, for example, residents of the Crimea) have the same constitutional and legal status as those born in Russia (born in Russia, who had citizenship of the USSR and lived in Russia ) citizens. In a number of countries of the world (USA, Estonia), the status of naturalized and born citizens is not identical - the former, for example, can be deprived of citizenship.

In addition to the institution of citizenship in our country, there is also the institution of honorary citizenship (a textbook example is Gerard Depardieu), which is personally granted to a person who has outstanding services to the Russian Federation or the world community, as well as the title of honorary citizen of a subject of the federation and a separate locality, assigned to persons who have outstanding services to the city or region, Russia, persons associated with significant socio-political activities for the region or city and, strictly speaking, are not citizenship. Citizenship, as well as status, is granted with the consent of these persons for the rest of their lives.

The procedure for acquiring and losing citizenship is regulated by the legislation of the state and international agreements. Citizenship implies that the state is obliged to patronize, protect and care for the well-being of its citizens.

The antonym of the concept of a citizen is a stateless person - that is, a person without citizenship or citizenship, not associated with any state. As a rule, the reasons for such a state lie in major circumstances (disappearance of the state, flight from the state due to a religious or armed conflict, associated with the loss of documents), deliberate unwillingness to accept the citizenship of any state, deprivation of citizenship. A stateless person, as a rule, is deprived of certain rights, first of all, the rights of a citizen, i.e. political rights and is in a vulnerable position that creates conditions for its discrimination.

On the territory of Russia, stateless persons, like foreigners, enjoy the majority of rights and freedoms and are limited in their voting rights, access to public service, and the ability to conduct certain types of entrepreneurial activity. Documents that certify the identity of a stateless person in the country - certificat d`apatrid, temporary residence permit, residence permit, etc.

On international level the status of stateless persons is regulated by the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons of 28 September 1954. According to it, a stateless person is obliged to comply with the laws of the host country, and his previously acquired rights (for example, related to marriage) must be respected and recognized by the state in which he is located. The property rights of stateless persons are equal to the property rights of foreigners, copyright and related rights are equal to the rights of citizens of the receiving state. A stateless person retains freedom of movement, labor, entrepreneurial activity, the right to apply to government bodies, he pays taxes that foreign citizens pay.

States try to prevent the loss of citizenship by a person, preventing the voluntary renunciation of it if a person does not provide guarantees that he will transfer to the citizenship of another state. Thus, citizenship becomes a duty, not a right, which it is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Everyone who has dealt with the solution of legal issues and regularly worked with documentation knows firsthand the importance of competently filling out applications and questionnaires in Russia. Your further success depends on how correctly you fill out your application. That is why on numerous sites of legal consulting in the Russian Federation topical questions are raised daily - what to write in the "citizenship" column in the questionnaire? How do residents of Russia correctly indicate their nationality? What citizenship in Russia? How to avoid using abbreviations and abbreviations?

Thanks to this review, you can find out comprehensive information. The correct filling of the questionnaire will be needed in many life situations - obtaining a visa, obtaining citizenship (both citizenship of the Russian Federation and foreign), entering the service in state structures of the Russian Federation, and the like. Each of these cases differs in its requirements, but in general the filling principle remains the same.

Rules for filling out the citizenship column in Russia and abroad



For citizens of the Russian Federation, the column for indicating citizenship often becomes a stumbling block, since it must be filled out correctly, and there is no room for error - the next attempt may appear only after a year. This is due to a common mistake - many people confuse the term "citizenship" with the term "nationality", and as you know, confusion is unacceptable in legal matters.

How to write citizenship "Russia" or " Russian Federation"? To understand what to write in the "Citizenship" column, you need to enter the name of your country. That is, a citizen of the Russian Federation must write "Russian Federation", and not "Russia" or "Russia." And even more so not "Russian" or "Russian". Yes, some documents allow the use of the word "Russia", but in most cases you will simply receive a refusal to consider such a document. By choosing the official option "Russian Federation", you get a guarantee that your application will be accepted even under the most stringent standards.


In case of Russian citizens the abbreviation "RF" requires special consideration. As you know, almost all serious application forms and questionnaires do not allow the use of abbreviations and abbreviations. When applying for a passport, residence permit, temporary residence permit or citizenship, the use of abbreviations can be a significant reason for rejection. Therefore, to indicate Russian citizenship, it is necessary to use the turnover "Russian Federation".

For example, a visa application form allows the use of the abbreviation RF, but in the case of citizenship, everything changes dramatically.

How can residents of Russia distinguish citizenship from nationality when filling out?

The question of how to write citizenship in the questionnaire torments all those who are faced with filling out all kinds of forms and forms. Choosing the right answer sometimes becomes so painful that you have to turn to experts or various sources for advice. It is time to investigate the issue in detail so that no doubts arise in the future.

Citizenship and Nationality - What's the Difference?

Each applicant knows that he has no right to make a mistake in the questionnaire. Therefore, it is necessary to submit information correctly from the first time. Often confusion occurs with two concepts - citizenship and nationality.

The definition of both is:

  • citizenship means the country of which the particular citizen is a representative;
  • nationality is belonging to a certain ethnic group (Russian, Jew, Moldavian).
do you have a travel ban service of our partners

Thus, it becomes clear what to write in the citizenship column: only “Russian Federation”, as an option, writing “Russia” is allowed. One thing is for sure - in this column the name of the state whose passport you have should sound. In case of coincidence of citizenship and nationality in the questionnaire, it is necessary to indicate this as follows:

  1. Citizenship - Russian Federation.
  2. Nationality Russian.

If the data is different, then here is an example of what to write in the "Citizenship" line:

  1. Citizenship - Germany.
  2. Nationality Russian.

Some confusion may arise when it comes to filling out documents in foreign languages.

Filling out foreign forms

So, for example, in France, both of these concepts are expressed by the same term, which in official documents still implies citizenship. And therefore, in this case, it is possible to indicate either the name of the country, or your citizenship - Russian / Russian. WITH English language simpler - it has both Citizenship and Nationality.

Russian language

To begin with, before going abroad, you need to find out if you have a travel ban, this will help the proven service of our partners, which will provide you with information about the presence of debts on loans, fines, alimony, housing and communal services and other things, as well as assess the likelihood of a ban departure abroad.

The writing of all names in these sections is provided only in the nominative case (who? what?). Valid options for how to write citizenship in a job application:

  • Russian Federation;
  • Russia.

At the same time, the abbreviation can be used only in exceptional cases, for example, in the internal documents of the company, but in no case in the visa form. In order not to get lost in conjectures, it is better to always write the full name of the state.

English language

Documents written in English usually contain a Citizenship column. And here again we do not forget that we are talking about the state, and therefore we can indicate the following:

  • Russian Federation;
  • Russia.

In the English application form, the instruction on how to correctly write citizenship in the application form indicates that the combination of the letters RF is prohibited.

But the line Nationality already requests information about the nationality, that is, the ethnicity of the applicant - Ukrainian, Belarusian.

In any case, if we are talking about a country in which the concepts of citizenship and nationality are used in the same term, be sure that your citizenship is meant, and not ethnic origin.

In other words, you are asked to indicate which country issued your internal general passport to you.

All of the above allows us to conclude that Russian or Russian citizenship cannot be mentioned in official documents. The term refers exclusively to the name of the state of which you are a citizen.

Filling out various forms

One of the main rules for filling out questionnaires is that the use of abbreviations and abbreviations is not welcome at all. This means that you should not be too lazy and still write the long name "Russian Federation", even if we are talking about hiring.

It is especially important to take this into account when filling out forms for a residence permit, permanent residence, citizenship, visa. In them, even the name "Russia" becomes an inaccuracy. And if you are still in doubt about how to write citizenship correctly - “Russia” or “Russian”, then remember that both options will become incorrect. This section refers exclusively to the name of the country.

Starting to fill out the form in Russian, pay attention to its style. As you know, it differs well developed system endings that would be more correct to use. Sometimes it happens that an indication of belonging to a state is part of the sentence.

Eg:

  • I am ______ (full name), according to citizenship, I am _____
  • I am a citizen of _______, full name _______.

In this case, it is necessary to comply with all the norms of the Russian language and decline the name of the state. In the first case, it would be appropriate to indicate that you are a Russian.

In this context, the question of how to correctly indicate citizenship in the questionnaire is not so relevant, since most languages ​​do not have categories of gender and declension. Therefore, the name of the country will sound everywhere in the nominative case.

As for nationality, in this section the wording Russian or Ukraine will just sound out of place. You need to indicate your ethnicity as follows:

  • Russian;
  • Ukrainian;
  • German.

If, nevertheless, confusion could not be avoided, do not neglect the help of employees of the institutions where you are submitting your application. They should certainly help you make the right choice.

Please note that the only case where an abbreviation can be used in the questionnaire is citizenship Soviet Union. How to write citizenship in the questionnaire for those who were born in the USSR? The only way:

  • THE USSR;
  • USSR.

Moreover, this is provided for by regulatory documents and is mandatory even when it comes to applying for a Schengen visa. But: when filling out online forms, you will not find such a name as USSR, and therefore feel free to indicate the state whose passport holder you are now.

In any case, if you have some doubts when filling out, it is better to clarify or double-check the information, since incorrect information often causes your application to be denied.