Russia to Offer Simplified Citizenship to Parents of New Citizens

The Russian government has proposed a streamlined process for granting citizenship to foreigners whose adult children have already obtained Russian citizenship, as reported by the Russian Gazette. The State Duma has voted in favor of this bill in its first reading.

Currently, the law only applies to the non-working parents of adult citizens. Once enacted, this law will provide an opportunity to reunite families within 90 days and is expected to positively impact the Russian job market. The provisions indicate that Russia could see an additional 50,000 new citizens each year, and as past experience suggests, these individuals are likely to be skilled and qualified professionals.

In response to concerns about whether foreign migrants might have children solely to obtain Russian citizenship, Deputy Interior Minister Igor Zubov stated that Russia is not opening its doors to everyone wishing to come, emphasizing a strict approach to the matter. Accordingly, the bill includes a stipulation that children of those applying for citizenship must be adults and capable of working.