How to obtain dual citizenship of Russia and Belarus and what you need to know in 2021

Is dual citizenship allowed in Belarus?

The legislation of the Republic of Belarus does not recognize another citizenship of a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, but does not prohibit citizens of the Republic of Belarus from having it. In other words, a citizen of Belarus can receive and have a passport of another country (have a second, different citizenship), but the state authorities of the Republic of Belarus do not recognize this citizenship for him.

Those. if a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, who also has, for example, Russian citizenship, commits a crime within the reach of Belarusian jurisdiction, attempts to appeal to him for the protection of the Russian embassy will not yield results: for the Republic of Belarus he is only its citizen, his Russian passport means nothing to the authorities of Belarus, since dual citizenship is not recognized for a Belarusian citizen.

Is it possible for a Belarusian to have dual citizenship?

As we found out above, Belarusian legislation does not recognize citizenship of a foreign state. However, the law does not say that this is PROHIBITED. It follows from this that although Belarus does not recognize dual citizenship, we are loyal to this issue.

It turns out that dual citizenship for Belarusians is legal? Not really. For an accurate answer, you need to refer to the legislation of the country of second citizenship. For example, in the USA you will be asked to take an oath of allegiance, which is essentially a renunciation of your previous citizenship. However, they will not ask you to document your renunciation of previous citizenship, and your Belarusian passport will remain with you! But to obtain Estonian citizenship, you will have to provide documents confirming the renunciation of previous citizenship to the competent authorities.

What are the risks of acquiring dual citizenship?

Dual citizenship is not provided for in the Republic of Belarus. In this regard, the natural question is what its acquisition entails. Considering the fact that resident status is assigned within the framework of bilateral agreements, it would be quite logical to assume that no penalties are provided for this action.

The only exceptions will be those persons who do not notify the state migration service about the accomplished circumstance, or do so at the wrong time. As for whether it is possible to have two citizenships in Belarus, the law stipulates that even if a Belarusian has received a passport of a country with which a bilateral treaty has not been signed, no one has the right to deprive him of Belarusian citizenship. At the same time, the republic itself does not recognize his new status, but still considers him its citizen. Thus, there is no talk of any penalties in this case either.

A little about dual citizenship

In the legal aspect, the status of dual membership in two different states implies that a citizen has passports of these countries, which allow him to enjoy all the rights and privileges of each civil status.

But before you find out how to obtain dual citizenship of Russia and Belarus, it will be useful to understand how dual citizenship differs from the second. At their core, two very similar terms mean completely different concepts. Thus, an applicant can become a holder of dual citizenship only if a corresponding agreement has been signed between his home state and the target state. In this case, having a certain reason, he receives another passport and from that moment begins to be considered a citizen of both countries.

If no documents were signed at the state level, but citizenship was still acquired, then it is considered the second. At the same time, the state itself considers its owner exclusively as its citizen, with all the ensuing rights and obligations.

Are there exceptions?

However, there are still citizens in the republic who are citizens of two states at once: for example, children born in families in which at least one of the parents is Belarusian. The law allows them to remain in dual status, but only until they reach adulthood. When asked whether a citizen of the Republic of Belarus can have dual citizenship, it would be more correct to choose a negative answer. Having reached 18 years of age, the holder of this status will have to make a choice towards Russian or Belarusian citizenship.

Is it possible to have two citizenships – Russia and Belarus?

Foreign citizens and stateless persons who have reached the age of eighteen and have legal capacity have the right to apply for admission to citizenship of the Russian Federation in the general manner, provided that these citizens and persons have applied to the authorized body of a foreign state with applications to renounce their existing other citizenship. Renunciation of another citizenship is not required if it is provided for by an international treaty of the Russian Federation or this Federal Law, or if renunciation of another citizenship is impossible due to reasons beyond the control of the person.

Russia and Belarus did not enter into a bilateral agreement. Therefore, according to the law, there is no talk of dual citizenship.

You cannot be a citizen of these two countries at the same time, since acquiring one citizenship immediately implies renouncing the other in both cases. The exception is children who turned out to be both Russian and Belarusian citizens due to the different citizenship of their parents.

How to become a citizen of Russia?

It is now possible for a Belarusian to obtain Russian citizenship relatively quickly. Since April 2014, the Russian Federation has launched a program for the repatriation of compatriots. Basic requirement: knowledge of Russian. Preferably a place of birth on the territory of the republics of the former USSR or Tsarist Russia.

Some stages of the process have been eliminated:

• no need to obtain a temporary residence permit;
• The requirement for permanent residence in the Russian Federation for five years has been abolished.

Declaration of refusal

An application for renunciation of Belarusian citizenship is written at the Belarusian embassy. To fulfill the requirements of the Russian side, it is enough to provide a copy of it to the FMS.

But your desire to part with citizenship of the Republic of Belarus is not a valid reason for the Belarusian Embassy. The request may be granted, or it may be denied. At the same time, it is not necessary to confirm the fact of renunciation of Belarusian citizenship with the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation with documents. Thus, with the tacit consent of the migration services, you become the owner of two passports, and each country considers you only its citizen. The harsh conditions of Belarusian legislation do not allow random people to become citizens of the Republic. But Belarus is in no hurry to take away their passports from those who decided to look for a better life in a neighboring power, thereby leaving them the opportunity to return to their homeland.

What documents are needed?

Obtaining a second citizenship is a labor-intensive bureaucratic process. The more documents confirming the “need” of a citizen in another country are provided, the higher the chance of receiving the coveted document.

It is better to collect the package of papers before crossing the border. The necessary exact list is posted on the official Internet resources of each country.

How can a resident of Belarus obtain a second Russian citizenship?

The “compatriots” program has been running since 2013. Those who were born in the USSR, emigrants from Russia, their descendants and relatives by blood and law (spouses, adopted children) can take part in it. The program greatly simplifies the process and provides for obtaining a Russian passport in 2 months.

The Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus are friendly countries. The Migration Charter of Russia provides benefits for Belarusian citizens when obtaining a Russian passport.

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An application for a new document is considered by the Federal Migration Service at the place of residence. When applying you will need the following package of papers:

• RVP - a permit giving a foreigner the right to reside in the Russian Federation for three years;
• application for citizenship in a simplified form;
• internal passport of the Republic of Belarus;
• birth certificate;
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• 4 passport photos no older than 6 months.

Attention! To speed up the procedure, you should provide papers confirming your relationship with Russian residents and education diplomas (preferably state-issued).

How can a resident of Russia obtain a second citizenship of Belarus?

According to the laws of the Republic of Belarus, the population is prohibited from having citizenship of two countries at the same time. Obtaining an internal passport is possible only if you refuse to become a Russian indigenous person.

The application is submitted after receiving a residence permit and living in Belarus for at least 7 years. As a rule, the request is submitted earlier and is considered positively if, of course, the person carries out activities that contribute to the prosperity of the country.

The process of granting citizenship is handled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic. List of documents:

• application form;
• autobiography;
• copies of all pages of the Russian passport;
• birth certificate;
• copy of residence permit;
• 4 photos 3x4;
• official document on family composition;
• a certificate from the place of employment indicating the monthly salary;
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• a document confirming leaving the indigenous community, in the absence of one, an explanatory letter;
• certificate of no/expunged criminal record.

The application review period is up to one year.

Second citizenship: the price of the issue

Today, the easiest way to become a citizen of another country is by investing capital in it: opening your own business, buying real estate, etc. The only problem is that this will require a lot of funds.

Some countries officially recognize dual citizenship, and having two passports may be a reason for exemption from some of your obligations to that state. If such a “dual” citizen does not notify his state about receiving a second passport, then he can safely be considered a citizen of Belarus and at the same time enjoy the preferences of the second country.

Most often, obtaining a second citizenship in such countries is necessary to register companies offshore and significantly reduce tax costs. In addition, having a passport from another country, as a rule, allows visa-free visits to the United States and European Union countries.

The table below shows the amount of investment to obtain a second citizenship in some countries.