Cases in which a waiver is necessary
The economic situation in Moldova has become the reason that local residents go to Russia for work and permanent residence. Official employment in the Russian Federation for migrants is possible only after obtaining a residence permit or obtaining a patent for a limited period. Otherwise, the person may be arrested and deported.
Since all permits are valid temporarily, Moldovans who come to Russia decide to apply for a Russian passport. According to current legislation, the applicant must write a statement renouncing Moldovan citizenship, as well as provide supporting documents. Dual citizenship is allowed only in a number of cases, but a resident of the Russian Federation must be subject to mandatory state registration.
For whom the refusal procedure is not mandatory
Filing an application to become a Russian citizen implies that the applicant must certainly renounce his previous citizenship. There are, however, cases when this instruction can be ignored.
These benefits are available to:
- residents of Tajikistan (based on international agreements);
- political refugees;
- persons with special services to the Russian Federation;
- veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
It is well known that the procedure itself for renouncing the citizenship of Moldova, as, in fact, of any other country, takes a rather long period. Should I wait until the decision is made? The answer is clear - no.
There is no need to wait: the following documents can serve as documents confirming your intention and the steps taken to implement it:
- A document that can attest to your appeal on this issue to the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Moldova.
- A document that can confirm the impossibility of renouncing Moldovan citizenship.
- A copy of the application submitted in person to the consular department of Moldova in the Russian Federation.
- A copy of the same application sent by mail.
The last two documents must contain the applicant’s signature certified by a notary.
When is dual citizenship allowed?
Legislatively, the Russian Federation recognizes dual citizenship and signs agreements with other countries. But there is no such agreement between the Russian Federation and Moldova. Dual citizenship is allowed only in a number of cases:
- children who received dual citizenship at birth;
- minors if one of the parents is a resident of the Russian Federation;
- refugees and persons granted political asylum;
- former Russian citizens who have issued a Moldovan passport;
- veterans of the Great Patriotic War who had a USSR passport.
Also, a refusal is not issued for minor children if the parent has already submitted information indicating the child’s data, including a birth certificate or passport information.
Application for refusal
There are several options for how to obtain a renunciation of Moldavian citizenship, but in both cases they contact the country’s embassy in the Russian Federation. Design methods:
- Personal visit to the consulate and submission of a completed application, receipt of payment of the state fee and additional documents.
- Send the completed and notarized application via postal mail. The option is more economical and simpler since it does not require visiting the embassy in person. As in the first case, the applicant is required to pay the consular fee and provide a package of mandatory certificates.
A sample application for renunciation of Moldovan citizenship can be downloaded from the official portal of the embassy. The information must be filled out in black pen and in block letters. If you choose the option of submitting documents by mail, it is recommended to immediately make a copy of the application and have it certified by a notary.
Where to apply
To complete the application in person, contact the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova, which is located in Moscow. If it is not possible to come to the office yourself, use postal services. Registered letters with a list of contents are suitable, containing a certified application and a mandatory package of documents. Contact information and where to send the renunciation of Moldovan citizenship:
- official website: rusia.mfa.gov.md;
- Email;
- phone number,;
- address: Moscow, st. Kuznetsky Most 18;
- postal code: 107031;
- working days: Monday-Friday;
- Document reception time: from 08:30 to 13:00;
- Document issuance time: from 15:00 to 17:30.
Required documents
The list of required documents for registration of refusal includes:
- completed application;
- autobiography signed by the applicant;
- photographs in the amount of 4 pieces, size 3.5 by 4.5 cm;
- birth certificate;
- Russian passport or a document guaranteeing its receipt;
- copy and original of the Moldovan passport with a stamp of entry into the Russian Federation;
- information from the place of residence, as well as a certificate of family composition;
- receipt of consular fee.
If renunciation of citizenship of Moldova is issued by a minor, parents must submit additional certificates:
- birth certificate;
- notarized consent from guardians, if only one parent wants to renounce citizenship.
To complete the application, you must make four copies of the documents.
Terms and procedure for consideration
Refusal of a Moldavian passport is a lengthy procedure that consists of three main stages. Main periods and duration of consideration:
- Application processing. Embassy employees send the application to the Ministry of Information Development within 20 working days. There, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service are checked, and if everything is in order, the documents are sent to the head of the country.
- Waiting for a decision. The standard procedure for considering a refusal of a Moldavian passport takes up to one year.
- Getting help. After making a decision and signing the order, the applicant is deprived of citizenship, and a written notification will be sent to the address specified in the application. The delivery time for the letter depends on the postal services.
Getting help
When a person is deprived of a Moldovan passport, a decree is published with the signature of the country's president. The document is a legal confirmation and allows you to obtain Russian citizenship. But without a certificate it is impossible to obtain a Russian passport.
When an applicant receives a letter renouncing Moldovan citizenship, he is required to personally come to the country's Embassy in Moscow to surrender his invalid passport. Instead, the person is given a certificate confirming the lack of citizenship. But a migrant can obtain a Russian passport in advance, using a notarized copy of the application to the consulate instead of a document.
How much does a refusal cost?
To consider the application, a person must pay a consular fee. The exact amount of how much it costs to renounce Moldovan citizenship depends on the number of documents required, family composition and the presence of children. The standard state fee is 330 euros. Payment is made in rubles at the rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
Additional costs when submitting an application are associated with a notary, translation and the presence of children. If documents are sent by mail, the applicant must have the certificates certified by a notary. Additional costs are associated with certification of children's documents and the use of translator services.
Pros and cons of a Russian passport
Changing citizenship can bring Moldovans not only certain advantages, but also some disadvantages. At the same time, the advantages most often outweigh the negative aspects, which prompts them to renounce Moldovan citizenship in order to obtain Russian citizenship. Among the advantages of changing citizenship are:
- All restrictions on the length of stay on the territory of the Russian Federation are lifted.
- There is an opportunity to work legally.
- Full social support is provided.
- You can hold some positions at Russian enterprises whose activities are related to ensuring the country's defense capability.
- There is an opportunity to work in law enforcement and government agencies.
- You are allowed to visit about 100 countries without a visa.
- You can participate in elections at any level.
- The right to receive free medical care and education.
If we talk about the disadvantages of renouncing Moldovan citizenship, we should note the more complex procedure for obtaining citizenship of EU countries. Also, to visit the countries of the European Union you will need to apply for a visa.
Renunciation of citizenship of a minor child
The state protects the rights of children, therefore a more complex procedure is provided for minor residents of Moldova. Parents must submit a number of documents to the consulate:
- application for renunciation of citizenship in writing;
- information about the child's citizenship, including a birth certificate, other identification documents or passport;
- passport of the parent or guardian;
- certificate of marriage or divorce between parents.
If you do not submit a request to the consulate, when one of the parents surrenders a Moldovan passport, the child retains citizenship. To exit, you must provide an application and notarized consent from the other spouse. If the child is over 14 years old, his personal presence or written consent to renounce citizenship is sufficient.
Grounds for refusal to renounce citizenship
When submitting an application to renounce citizenship to the Moldovan embassy, a person may not approve the application. Main reasons for rejecting an application:
- absence or errors in the application or documents;
- a crime committed in Moldova or another state, if the criminal record has not been withdrawn or expunged;
- the presence of compelling reasons provided for by the Federal Law “On Citizenship”;
- obtaining a Moldovan passport illegally or fraudulently;
- official service in the armed forces of another country;
- presence of tax debts to the republic.
If the application is rejected without grounds, the applicant may file an appeal in accordance with the legislation of Moldova. You can also apply directly to obtain a Russian passport, providing information about the refusal.
Common Mistakes
When leaving Moldovan citizenship, people make typical mistakes. This complicates the process of obtaining a Russian passport or requires additional actions to resolve problems. Main mistakes:
- Not in all cases it is necessary to renounce citizenship. If a person plans to become a resident of a country that has an agreement with Moldova, it is possible to hold two passports. Also, the system for obtaining a document of the Russian Federation allows, in some cases, not to leave your current citizenship.
- Long-term residence in Russia for permanent residence does not automatically deprive you of your old passport. Even former residents of Moldova who have been in the Russian Federation for more than 5-10 years are required to undergo a standard procedure.
- Errors in documents. A sample renunciation of Moldovan citizenship is available on the official website of the country's embassy. Consulate staff regularly updates information and posts the current version of the document.
Application for renunciation of Moldovan citizenship
Moldova is a fairly successful and economically stable CIS member country. The authorities of the republic are in close cooperation with the Government of the Russian Federation. The two states have concluded an agreement on a visa-free regime, so the procedures for the employment of migrants and their temporary registration at the place of residence have been simplified. Usually, natives of Moldova come to Moscow to work. However, temporary residence permits and labor patents are limited in validity, so visitors strive to obtain citizenship of the state. Obtaining a Russian passport for Moldovans this year can be accelerated according to a special government program. Dear readers! Our articles talk about typical ways to resolve legal issues, but each case is unique.
Case from practice
Let's look at an example from practice when an applicant encountered problems when obtaining a new citizenship.
A person wanted to get a Russian passport after living in the state for more than 12 years. Despite the long official work and period of stay in Russia, Moldavian citizenship was retained. After submitting the documents, the person received a refusal, motivated by the lack of a certificate of renunciation of citizenship. After this, documents were collected and sent to the Moldovan Embassy, and with the help of notarized copies of applications, an application for a Russian passport was completed.
Methods of obtaining citizenship
Residents of Moldova can use several methods to obtain Russian citizenship. For most of them, the best choice is to participate in special government programs that allow them to obtain a Russian passport using a simplified procedure. It is worth talking about each of the possible options for obtaining citizenship separately.
Employment and moving to relatives
From a legal point of view, close relatives are considered to be siblings, grandparents, as well as children and parents.
If a person wishes to immigrate for the purpose of family reunification, then he must submit documents proving the degree of relationship. In addition, the receiving party will have to issue an official invitation and guarantee financial support for relatives if necessary. Citizenship of the Russian Federation can be obtained by residents of Moldova who have officially been on the territory of the state for 5 years. If the immigrant has a specialty in demand, then this period may be reduced. To obtain citizenship in such a situation, it is necessary to provide an employment contract, on the basis of which the person worked throughout the entire period of stay in the country.
Investment and business immigration
Residents of Moldova can move their business to Russia or register a new company.
The conditions for doing business in these countries do not differ significantly, so businessmen should not have problems with adaptation. In the Russian Federation, the minimum annual income of a new enterprise is defined as 10 million rubles. At the same time, it must be transparent and legal. A similar minimum amount is also the threshold for investment. Subject to certain conditions, foreign businessmen and investors can apply for a Russian passport after three years of residence in the country. They also have the right, immediately after moving to the Russian Federation, to obtain the status of a permanent resident of Russia.
Marriage with a Russian citizen
The Russian Federation has signed international conventions, according to which members of the same family have equal rights for its happy existence. Therefore, when entering into a legal marriage with a citizen of the Russian Federation, foreign nationals have the right to obtain a Russian passport under a simplified procedure. To do this, you must live in an official marriage for 3 years. A candidate for a Russian passport will have to provide several documents:
- Marriage certificate.
- Confirmation of registration at the place of residence of the second spouse.
- Passport of a spouse who is a citizen of the Russian Federation.
If everything is extremely clear with the last two points, then the first requires clarification.
The certificate is considered valid if the marriage took place on the territory of Russia. Otherwise, this document must be legalized in accordance with Russian laws. In addition, it is necessary to remember about fictitious marriages. This type of scam is used to obtain not only Russian citizenship, but also to achieve other goals, for example, material gain. Today, fictitious marriages are not criminally prosecuted by law. If a marriage union is declared invalid, then a court decision eliminates all its possible legal consequences.
However, the situation may change, since a law is currently being prepared, according to which entering into a fictitious marriage will result in a prison sentence of up to three years. If a citizen of the Russian Federation, with the help of this scam, contributed to the commission of a crime by foreign nationals, then he is recognized as an accomplice.
Special situations
IDPs with refugee status can obtain Russian citizenship.
The basis for its assignment are international norms and relevant laws of the Russian Federation, according to which the life of a migrant and his family members is in danger. It should be remembered that all dangerous actions must be carried out systematically by representatives of government agencies and lead to the impossibility of living in the territory of the homeland. Refugees can receive a Russian passport after 5 years of permanent residence in Russia. In some cases, citizenship can be assigned by special decree of the country's government. This applies to people who have made a significant contribution to increasing the international prestige of the Russian Federation (for example, athletes or scientists).
