New law on Russian citizenship for Armenians in 2021

Requirements for candidates and conditions for obtaining citizenship

Citizens of the Republic of Armenia will be able to have Russian citizenship if they fulfill a number of mandatory requirements. First you need to obtain the status of a person temporarily residing in the country. At this stage, the Armenian must have a place of residence (having his own housing or registration with relatives - Russian citizens) - this is the main condition.

Another important condition is knowledge of the Russian language at the proper level. Its successful completion is confirmed by passing the exam and receiving a certificate. The law also prescribes the presence of a minimum amount of knowledge on Russian history and legislation, which is necessary for normal integration into the social and cultural life of the country. Instead of passing the exam, a native of the Republic of Armenia can present a diploma of education issued by one of the Russian educational institutions or the USSR (before 1991), as well as a document on education from other countries with a high mark in the Russian language. In addition, you must submit to the migration service:

passport with a notarized translation;
migration card;
marriage certificate (for Armenians involved in it);
a certificate from a medical institution confirming the absence of infectious (HIV) and mental diseases;
photos;
receipt of payment of state duty.

You will also need certificates stating that the candidate has no problems with the law (no criminal record) and has undergone fingerprinting.

Ways to obtain a Russian passport

Every day the relationship between Armenia and Russia is only improving. All this leads to the emergence of a large number of Armenians who express a desire to obtain a Russian passport. This can only be done in two ways:

on general terms;
according to a simplified procedure.

Each of them has its own nuances, knowing which can significantly simplify and speed up the procedure for obtaining citizenship.

General procedure

Every resident of Armenia has the right to apply for Russian citizenship. First of all, he needs to obtain the status of a foreigner temporarily residing in the Russian Federation. To do this, the Armenian needs to collect and present the following important documents:

Certificate from law enforcement agencies confirming no criminal record.
A paper confirming the availability of optimal housing conditions.
A certificate from a medical institution confirming your state of health and the absence of serious diseases.

In order for an Armenian to obtain Russian citizenship in 2021, it is necessary to undergo fingerprinting. In addition, it is important to successfully pass several exams that will confirm knowledge of history, the Russian language and the laws of the Russian Federation. Some of them can be waived only if the Armenian applying for citizenship received education in educational institutions in Russia.

Before receiving the status of a full citizen of the Russian Federation, you need to properly obtain a residence permit. This document is analogous to a passport; obtaining it takes quite a long time. Therefore, you need to submit all the necessary documents in advance and wait for a decision on your issue. While living in Russia, an Armenian is obliged to annually present documents confirming the availability of stable and legal income, as well as confirm his presence in the country.

Simplified procedure

Obtaining Russian citizenship is a long and difficult procedure, but there are often cases when an Armenian has the right to receive the desired document in an expedited manner. All of them are clearly stated in the legislation. In order to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner, an Armenian citizen must prove the presence of one of the following circumstances:

Current legal marriage with a resident of the Russian Federation. Its duration at the time of submission of documents must necessarily exceed three years.
The presence of close relatives who are full citizens of Russia.
Previous existence of USSR citizenship.
The Armenian has a higher education and is an indispensable specialist in one of the fields of activity.

If a resident of Armenia has at least one compliance with the listed circumstances, then he is immediately included in the list of persons who have the opportunity to obtain Russian citizenship through an accelerated procedure.

Obtaining Russian citizenship for citizens of Armenia in a simplified manner in 2021 is subject to a thorough knowledge of the language and fluency in it. Without this factor, he will not be able to apply for citizenship under the simplified scheme, even if there are several suitable circumstances.

Some citizens of Armenia have the opportunity to obtain expedited processing of documents without a five-year residence permit. This category includes:

Persons with a minor son or daughter who are citizens of the Russian Federation. This right only applies in the absence of the other parent.
Parent of an adult son or daughter who has Russian citizenship and is declared disabled.
People who received their education in Russia before 2002 and have three years of work experience at enterprises in the country.
Armenians who have owned individual entrepreneurs in Russia for the last three years and regularly pay taxes (the total amount of contributions must exceed 1 million rubles).
Persons investing in the development of the Russian economy. At the same time, the authorized capital must exceed 100 million rubles, and contributions to the state treasury - 6 million rubles for the last 3 years.
Citizens of Armenia who worked for more than three years in the territory of the Russian Federation and held one of the positions in significant professions.
Persons recognized as native speakers of the Russian language.
Minor children and persons who have lost the ability to work.
Residents of Armenia taking part in the resettlement program.
All veterans of the Great Patriotic War who live in any subject of the state.

General procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for Armenians

If immigrants from Armenia do not have any benefits for obtaining citizenship under a simplified scheme, they will have to do it on a general basis. This procedure will take much longer. In addition to the main condition - permanent five-year residence in the Russian Federation - you need to go through the following stages to become a Russian citizen:

temporary residence permit (TRP);
residence permit (residence permit);
directly the acquisition of citizenship itself.
Let us consider the algorithm of actions at each stage in more detail.

RVP

You must submit an application (a sample can be viewed at the immigration service), which will be processed within approximately two months. If the decision is positive, the person from the Republic of Armenia will be given a mark (stamp) in their passport, confirming the legality of their temporary stay. Its validity is limited to three years, during which the holder of a temporary residence permit can freely engage in labor activities in the region in which he received this permit. To register a temporary residence permit, you need to come to the Main Administration for Migration Administration with the package of documents established by the regulations.

New migration law - changes from 2021

Thus, the new law on obtaining Russian citizenship (or rather, the law in the new edition) will provide for a simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for new groups of foreign citizens (of course, if the corresponding amendments are adopted).

This new provision of Law No. 115-FZ is complemented by a fresh norm of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses (hereinafter referred to as the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation), which comes into force on January 16, 2021. So, part 2 of Art. 18.9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation now regulates what liability the host party may incur if it does not take the necessary measures to ensure that the invited foreign person/stateless person complies with the purpose of entry or the deadlines for leaving the Russian Federation.

We recommend reading: Sample application to the Pension Fund for the funded part of a pension

Grounds for obtaining Russian citizenship in a simplified manner

As already mentioned, in order to become a citizen of Russia, you must live on its territory for five years and have certain grounds for this. But a separate category of citizens of any nationality, according to the new July edition, adopted in 2017, of the Law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation” has a chance to take advantage of the simplified scheme. This will help to significantly reduce the period of residence in residence permit status. To do this, an Armenian needs to have the following grounds:

Birth from parents (me) with a Russian passport and a permanent place of residence on the territory of the state.
Diploma of education received at a Russian university.
Certificate of marriage with a Russian citizen, legitimized in the Russian Federation.
non-acceptance of any other citizenship after the loss of Soviet citizenship.
Having a child - Russian. This paragraph is applicable for disabled immigrants from Armenia, for example, disabled people, pensioners.
To quickly complete a simplified procedure, it is necessary to prepare the necessary documents in advance.

Preparation of necessary documents

The regulation on the procedure for considering issues of citizenship of the Russian Federation, approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of November 14, 2002 No. 1325, determines what documents a citizen of Armenia needs to obtain Russian citizenship. Along with documents confirming the existence of conditions for acquiring citizenship, three photographs, as well as. In addition, you will need a copy of your ID, as well as other documents translated into Russian and notarized.

Procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for Armenians

Recent years have been the most favorable for the presence of Armenians in the Russian Federation. They can live for a month without registration, and also not receive a patent for work and get a job in any region. Obtaining Russian citizenship for immigrants will not pose any particular problems; you just need to collect the necessary documents and comply with the conditions.

List of documents

To acquire Russian citizenship in 2021, immigrants from Armenia will need to collect a package of documents. Then go to the GUVM and submit an application in two copies with the following attachment:

photographs (4 pieces, size 3.5 x 4.5);
international passports;
birth certificates;
certificates of marriage (divorce);
educational document (certificate, diploma, etc.).

If the submitted papers and documents are submitted in Armenian, they must first be translated into Russian and certified. You will also need to provide information about close relatives. If an Armenian decides to apply for citizenship with children, he will need to collect a number of additional documents in advance. This includes:

birth certificate for each child with translation;
consent of the second parent to obtain citizenship by a child (children) under fourteen years of age;
photos.

This list of key documents is only preliminary. It is advisable, before contacting the GUVM, to find out from the department about the complete package of papers required for this purpose.

New rules

Changes in the regulatory act concern, first of all, migrants from Ukraine. Now they do not have to wait 2 years for the president of their country to issue a decree in response to a written request to renounce their civil status. Voluntary surrender of a Ukrainian passport will confirm the applicant’s intentions, and a written renunciation made in Russia and signed by a notary will become a necessary condition for acquiring permanent registration in the Russian Federation.

Established requirements for applicants

Preference is given to those who can make a significant contribution to the country's economy. Under the preferential scheme, those who have graduated from a higher educational institution with accreditation in Russian cities and received a specialist diploma after 07/01/2021 are accommodated. Regulations have been developed for them under Article 14, Part 2, paragraph “e”.

One of the main requirements is permanent residence in Russia for a long time, up to 5 years. In addition, this procedure is multi-stage, so without the help of a specialist, obtaining Russian citizenship for an Armenian may take too much time. If you do not know how to obtain Russian citizenship for an Armenian citizen, then the specialists of the Moscow Legal Center will be happy to answer all your questions. We will undertake legal support for this procedure and provide timely assistance.

How quickly can I get a passport?

As a rule, applications from Armenians to acquire Russian citizenship are considered within a strictly defined time frame. They depend on what order is chosen: general or simplified.

If an application is submitted on a general basis, then obtaining the status of a citizen of the Russian Federation may take a year, this is the current practice. When choosing and having the opportunity to take advantage of the simplified procedure for acquiring citizenship, immigrants from Armenia are given the chance to receive a passport twice as fast. This usually takes up to six months from the date of submission of the required documents.

You can quickly get the desired passport if you become a participant in the State Program for the resettlement of compatriots to Russia. Its goal is to simplify the procedure for obtaining citizenship of Armenians who have Soviet citizenship. Also, program participants can receive compensation for moving expenses, state fees or consular fees. The support is mainly aimed at people moving to regions that are most in need of migrants.

Ways to acquire the status of a citizen of the Russian Federation

Methods of acquiring the status of a citizen of the Russian Federation
Russian legislation stipulates the grounds on which a foreign citizen can obtain a Russian passport. Thus, a child who was born in Russia, or whose parent at that moment was the holder of a Russian passport, has the right to become a citizen of the country.

Another way is to fall into the category of citizens who can be naturalized in accordance with international treaties or special programs. For example, in the Russian Federation there is a program for the resettlement of compatriots from Armenia to Russia in 2021. A simplified scheme for its participants allows them to obtain a Russian passport in a short period of time.

Foreigners who have fulfilled the conditions established by the regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation can acquire the status of a citizen of the Russian Federation, for example:

have lived in the country for a certain number of years;
have a stable source of income;
renounced their previous citizenship.

Requirements depend on the category of applicants and the procedure for naturalization.

It is also possible to acquire a legal connection with the Russian Federation as a result of the restoration of citizenship of persons who previously belonged to the ranks of Russians.

Right to Naturalization

In order for Armenians to receive a Russian passport,

they must be legally capable and of legal age. Persons under 18 years of age are granted citizenship upon the application of a parent or guardian. A child over 14 years of age must agree to change his nationality.

The applicant is obliged to comply with the laws and the Constitution of the Russian Federation. In the application for admission to citizenship there is a column in which the signature confirms the intention to remain loyal to the state.

Having a legal source of income is one of the conditions for naturalization. When submitting an application you must provide:

salary certificate from the official place of work;
pension certificate if the applicant is a pensioner;
income certificate, tax return, if the documents are submitted by an entrepreneur;
certificates from the bank about receipt of income from deposits, securities, and so on.

An Armenian must renounce his previous citizenship. This is confirmed by a notarized copy of the application for renunciation of citizenship sent to the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Armenia.

One of the mandatory requirements is knowledge of the Russian language and the ability to communicate at the everyday level.

The level of knowledge can be confirmed by a certificate issued after passing a test, or a diploma of education received in the USSR.

Pensioners, group 1 disabled people and incapacitated citizens do not need to be tested.

Standard order

Applicants for Russian citizenship on a general basis must fulfill the legal requirements regarding the period of residence - live in Russia for 5 years. The countdown of this period begins not from the moment of crossing the border, but from the date of receipt of the residence permit.

Absence from the Russian Federation is allowed for up to 90 days within 1 year.

After 1 year of residence in the country, the following categories of persons can obtain citizenship:

refugees;
recipients of political asylum;
foreigners who have contributed to Russia in science and culture.

The residence period requirement does not apply to persons who have served under a contract in the RF Armed Forces for at least 3 years.

Shortened naturalization procedure

Applicants will quickly receive the status of Russian citizen if they belong to one of the preferential categories of citizens:

persons who have close relatives who are citizens of the Russian Federation;
former citizens of the USSR, and currently stateless;
entrepreneurs;
qualified specialists.

In Art. 14 of Federal Law No. 62-FZ “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation” contains a complete list of persons belonging to the preferential category.

The State Program for Resettlement from Armenia to Russia in 2021 allows you to shorten the period of naturalization in the Russian Federation..

Program participants registered at their place of residence in a certain region are not required to obtain a residence permit, provide certificates of legal means of subsistence and certificates of knowledge of the Russian language.

The procedure for obtaining citizenship has been simplified for those whose relatives live or once lived on the territory of the Russian Federation, and for those whom a special commission recognized as native speakers of the Russian language.

Cost of consideration of appeals

The cost of migration service services may be free. The following categories of citizens are exempt from paying state duty:

stateless persons who were previously residents of the Soviet Union and currently live in one of the republics that were part of the USSR;
orphans;
children who were left without parental care.

Attention! The state fee is 3.5 thousand rubles for the rest of the category of applicants.