[80464] Putin tightens Russian citizenship requirements and grants temporary exemption to Ukrainian citizens

Changes to Russian citizenship application procedures

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a presidential decree imposing new requirements on those seeking Russian citizenship. According to reports from Раньше всех. Ну почти., applicants will now be required to present a "certificate of the absence of a criminal record or a document detailing criminal offenses" for which they were convicted. Readovka, a channel showing support for the Kremlin, clarified that the certificate must be issued by the authorities in the applicant's country of citizenship no earlier than 3 months before the date of application.

Special exemption for Ukrainian citizens

The decree includes a significant exception clause: Ukrainian citizens arriving in Russia are exempt from presenting these certificates until January 1, 2028. Политика Страны, which presents a critical stance toward both sides, notes that "many Ukrainians are returning to their homes in Russian-occupied territories so as not to lose their property," and that the easing of procedures is intended to allow them to regularize their status under Russian law.

Interpretations and additional issues

While channels identified with the Kremlin such as RT на русском and СОЛОВЬЁВ emphasized the need for "clean hands" among applicants, other sources raised bureaucratic difficulties. BFM noted that alongside the citizenship changes, complexity continues surrounding the obligation to report foreign accounts in Russia, as residents encounter difficulties in proving their center of life outside the country for tax purposes. Additionally, О Бизнесе reported on proposals in the State Duma seeking to reduce fines for failure to file tax reports, provided that the payments themselves have been settled.