Russian Citizenship by Descent

Russian Citizenship by Descent in 2026.

Children of Russian citizens are entitled to obtain Russian citizenship by descent. The Citizenship Law regulates this process as a simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship. This procedure applies to minors and legally incapacitated applicants, as well as to adult foreign nationals. Obtaining Russian citizenship by one’s parents in 2026 is a fast and simplified process. By bypassing the first and second stages of the citizenship application process (obtaining a Temporary Residence Permit and a Permanent Residence Permit), the applicant is eligible to submit documents directly for the third stage—and apply for citizenship immediately. In addition, applying through one’s parents is one of the simplest ways to obtain citizenship, and minor applicants may also hold dual citizenship through their other parent. Even those countries that prohibit dual citizenship with Russia allow their minor citizens to hold dual citizenship until they turn 25. In other words, they give young people the right to make a choice and decide on their citizenship later in life, once they have reached the age of majority. Russian citizenship law allows minors to retain their second citizenship even after reaching the age of majority.

 Obtaining Russian Citizenship for Minors in the Russian Federation.

Minors may obtain Russian citizenship through one of their parents. Upon the child’s birth, the applicant—that is, one of the child’s parents—submits the child’s birth certificate to the Multifunctional Center (MFC) at their place of registration, where a migration service inspector affixes a stamp confirming the granting of citizenship. This procedure takes a maximum of one week, and from that moment on, the child is a citizen of the Russian Federation. This is the simplest and most hassle-free way to obtain Russian citizenship. In this case, you won’t have to waste your time standing in line to gather various documents.

 Obtaining Russian Citizenship for Minors Abroad.

Minors can obtain Russian citizenship—provided that the family resides abroad and one of the parents is a Russian citizen—through a Russian consular office abroad. Provided that the child has not been granted any other citizenship, a parent who is a Russian citizen has the right to apply for Russian citizenship for their newborn child. The procedure also serves as a notification of the entry of information about the children of a Russian citizen into the registry. The child is issued a Russian foreign passport at a Russian consulate and, as a new Russian citizen, is registered with the consulate, just like the parents. However, the procedure for a child to obtain a passport abroad is possible only if the child does not hold any other citizenship at the time of application. I would like to note that another challenging aspect of this application process is the preliminary consular appointment. For example, at Russian consulates in Europe and the United States, appointments starting in early 2026 are only available once a month.

Obtaining Russian Citizenship for Minor Foreign Nationals.

Minors who are foreign nationals and have at least one parent who is a Russian citizen are also eligible to apply for citizenship through an expedited, preferential procedure. In this case, the process will take 3 months. During the application process for a minor foreign national, documents from the other parent—a foreign national—will be required; in some cases, that parent’s consent to the child’s acquisition of Russian citizenship will also be needed. 

Obtaining Russian Citizenship for Adult Foreign Nationals.

Adults who are foreign nationals are also eligible to obtain Russian citizenship through their parents, provided that at least one parent is a Russian citizen. Obtaining Russian citizenship involves obtaining a residence permit and may take slightly more than six months. The primary document required for obtaining Russian citizenship is a birth certificate proving a direct family relationship with a foreign citizen. All letters in the surname, first name and paternity (if any) must match in all documents, otherwise you will have to make inquiries into archives, registries and other structures that can provide certificates of parentage. When submitting documents for Russian citizenship, the applicant must bear in mind that if the state of which he is a citizen at the time of application prohibits him from having dual or second citizenship with Russia, he will eventually be deprived of his actual nationality. The Migration Service of the Russian Federation has an agreement with the migration services of many countries. Therefore, when making a decision to obtain citizenship of the Russian Federation, you should always consider whether it is worth losing your country’s citizenship, where you may already have some social benefits, real estate, and guarantees of your state. 

The process of obtaining Russian citizenship by parents.

Although there were many improvements last year, at first glance it may even seem that the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship by parents is the simplest procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship. But when you go to the migration office, you will face a number of difficulties, a request for additional documents and missing information.

Contact the professionals and we will help you to obtain citizenship of the Russian Federation by parents or on other grounds as soon as possible. Our company’s lawyers will accompany you at all stages of your admission to Russian citizenship. We are constantly in working relationship with the consular offices of Russia abroad and with the migration service, so we are always up to date and ready to respond to you! Contact us!