The Russian Foreign Ministry has proposed to expand the punishment for failure to report a second citizenship

The Russian Foreign Ministry has proposed to extend responsibility for failure to report the presence of a second citizenship or the right to permanent residence abroad to all citizens of the Russian Federation, including those who permanently reside outside the country. The initiative was published on January 23 on the federal portal of draft regulatory legal acts.

"The bill introduces a definition of the concept of "a citizen of the Russian Federation permanently residing outside the Russian Federation," according to the materials to the document.

It is proposed to include persons with a second citizenship, a residence permit or other document confirming the right to permanent residence abroad in this category. The explanatory note notes that the current procedure for consular registration is of a notification nature and does not imply mandatory identification of citizens.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the beginning of 2025, more than 2.2 million Russians were registered as consulates. However, these statistics, the agency admits, are not reliable and do not reflect the real number of Russians permanently residing abroad. The lack of accurate data makes it difficult to plan and implement evacuations from foreign countries in case of emergencies, as well as elections or referendums.

In case of non-compliance with the new rule, the fine will amount to 200 thousand rubles, as well as compulsory work for up to 400 hours. If the initiative is approved, it will enter into force in January 2028.

On January 3, the press center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that in the 11 months of last year, 97 thousand Russian citizens received a residence permit (residence permit) or citizenship in other countries - this figure decreased by 12 thousand people compared to 2024. They also recalled that in 2024, the number of such applications was 109 thousand. Most often, Russians informed them about the acquisition of citizenship of countries such as Germany, Israel, Spain, Armenia and the United States, the Interior Ministry said.

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