The Supreme Court did not see marriage with a Russian citizen as an obstacle to expelling foreigners

Marriage to a Russian citizen does not exempt foreigners from applying the measures of the migration legislation of the Russian Federation. This was announced on January 16 by the press service of the Supreme Court of Russia.

The department told about the case of a Ukrainian citizen who, after serving her sentence for a crime related to drug trafficking, appealed to the court with a demand to cancel the decision of the Federal Penitentiary Service on the undesirability of her stay in the territory of the Russian Federation. She claimed that this decision violated her right to a private and family life, as she had lived in Russia for a long time and planned to marry a Russian.

The courts of first instance and the courts of appeal refused to satisfy her claims, but the Court of Cassation reviewed the decision, stating that by the time of the appeal the applicant was already married.

The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation disagreed with this approach and upheld the decisions of the courts of first instance and appeal. The Judicial Board for Administrative Cases clarified that the fact of marriage after the decision on the undesirability of stay has no legal significance in the consideration of the case.

"Having a family does not exempt a foreign citizen from applying migration control measures," the Supreme Court's website says.

In a foreign way: citizenship is now one-third less likely to be granted in Russia

Which countries receive Russian passports and how is the control over migrants changing?

In October 2025, it was reported that the Federal Bailiff Service (FSSP) had expelled about 35,000 foreign citizens from Russia who violated migration laws last year. According to the Interior Ministry, as of September 1, 770,000 migrants were listed in the register of controlled persons, one third of whom are women and children.

Russian President Vladimir Putin noted in the same month that Russia is interested in foreign labor, but it must be law-abiding citizens. The Russian leader noted that there are many problems in the field of migration, and the citizens of the Russian Federation themselves point this out. In addition, he stressed that migrants must comply with the law and the rules of Russia.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.