Citizenship by
resettlement program

Obtaining citizenship through the Compatriot Resettlement Program.

This program makes it possible to quickly obtain Russian citizenship—not only for the applicant but also for all members of their family, including grandparents. This is one of the oldest and most well-established immigration programs, through which thousands of former compatriots return to Russia every year. The program for the resettlement of compatriots became the only legal means for millions of Russian families—who had settled against their will in the Baltic states and the CIS and were forced to emigrate in the late 1980s and early 1990s in search of a better life in Western Europe, Canada, and the United States—to return to their historical homeland.

• Who is eligible to participate in the resettlement program?
• What are the specifics of the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship?
• What is the easiest way to obtain Russian citizenship?
• What are the benefits of the resettlement program?

 

Which categories of people are eligible to participate in the resettlement program?

The program for the resettlement of compatriots involves applicants moving to specific areas and regions of Russia that participate in the program. The list of resettlement regions changes from year to year, depending on the region’s economic, social, demographic, and other factors.

 

Currently, the following categories of foreign nationals and stateless persons are eligible to apply for resettlement status:

• Individuals (and their direct descendants) who permanently reside abroad but belong to ethnic groups (small ethnic minorities) that historically lived in our country, and who also have religious, spiritual, or cultural ties to the Russian Federation.
• Individuals whose relatives (in the direct ascending line) lived in Russia.
• Citizens of the former USSR who previously held Soviet citizenship and now reside permanently in the newly formed states.
• Emigrants from the USSR (the Russian Federation, the RSFSR, the union republics, and Russia) who previously held one of the relevant citizenships.

It should be noted separately that the program for the resettlement of compatriots applies not only to individuals living outside the Russian Federation. Foreign nationals and stateless persons of certain categories, as specified in regulatory acts, are also eligible to obtain Russian citizenship.

 

The program for the resettlement of compatriots is not the only way to obtain Russian citizenship. There is a separate simplified citizenship acquisition process for each category of foreign citizens eligible for preferential treatment.

• Obtaining Russian Citizenship Through Parents.
• Obtaining Russian Citizenship for Repatriates.
• Obtaining Russian Citizenship Through Children.
• Obtaining Russian Citizenship Through Marriage.
• Obtaining Russian Citizenship by Birth.
• Obtaining Russian Citizenship for LGBT Individuals and Non-Citizens of Latvia and Estonia.

Those categories of foreign nationals who do not meet the above-described criteria for obtaining citizenship through the simplified procedure are eligible to obtain Russian citizenship through the general procedure.

 

Who qualifies as a “family member” of a participant in the resettlement program?

Unlike all other immigration programs for obtaining Russian citizenship through a simplified procedure, the state program for the resettlement of compatriots grants the right to move to Russia with one’s family, including relatives.

 

Family members of a participant in the resettlement program:

• Husband (wife)
• Children: both biological and adopted
• Husband’s (wife’s) children
• Parents of a participant in the “Compatriots” program
• Grandfathers (grandchildren, grandmothers)
• Husband’s (wife’s) parents
• Biological sisters (brothers)
• Wife’s (husband’s) biological brothers and sisters
• Children in the first degree of kinship (biological sisters and brothers)
• Husband’s (wife’s) children in the first degree of kinship

It is worth noting that family members who have reached the age of majority may participate in the resettlement program in their own right. This will subsequently entitle them to receive a resettlement allowance from the region of resettlement. The only exception is a spouse listed on the prospective resettler’s documents.

 

What personal characteristics must a person possess to be eligible for the compatriot resettlement program?

• Resettlement Certificate—a document confirming eligibility to participate in the program. Obtaining this certificate is already 50 percent of the way toward obtaining Russian citizenship. To participate in the program, a foreign citizen must meet a number of criteria
• Must be of legal age and not have been declared legally incompetent by a court.
• Under Russian law, individuals over the age of 18 are considered adults. Legal capacity may be revoked only through a court proceeding.
• Be native speakers of the language: be able to speak and write in Russian.

Regulatory acts do not contain clearly defined criteria or definitions of a sufficient level of proficiency in spoken and written Russian. Therefore, this issue is resolved through subjective assessment. The starting point is the need for newcomers to adapt quickly and easily to life in the country. Sufficient knowledge of the language is, in this case, one of the fundamental requirements. In each specific situation, a positive decision is made by the authorized government agencies.

To fully comply with other legal requirements.

Specifically, a participant in the compatriot resettlement program who is applying for Russian citizenship:

• The applicant must not have a criminal record. If a person has been found guilty by a court of committing a particularly serious (serious) crime, they are automatically ineligible to participate in the resettlement program. As a reminder, such crimes include: murder, robbery, rape, causing serious bodily harm, etc. It is important to note that the category of a crime is determined according to our country’s laws, even if the crime took place outside its borders.
• Must not advocate the overthrow of the existing constitutional order by violent means. This also applies to any threats against the state (or its citizens).
• Must not have a criminal record in the Russian Federation. Crimes are categorized as serious or particularly serious. A complete list of such crimes is provided in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
• Terrorist activities and any other activities of an extremist nature constitute another ground for denial of Russian citizenship.
• Deportation or expulsion from the Russian Federation within the past 5 years as of the date of submitting documents to participate in the compatriot resettlement program constitutes grounds for rejecting the application.
• Comply with the requirements of the regional resettlement program in the region where the applicant plans to move for permanent residence.

 

The Process of Obtaining Russian Citizenship: Key Features and Main Steps.

The entire process of participating in the resettlement program and obtaining Russian citizenship can be broken down into several steps.

 

Restrictions on the Resettlement Program.

• Resettlement regions vary depending on the number of participants, the demographic situation, and the economic conditions of a specific region.
• Moscow, the Moscow Region, St. Petersburg, and the Leningrad Region do not participate in the program.
• The resettlement participation period is 3 years, starting from the date the resettlement certificate is issued.
• Processing a residence permit for a compatriot takes 2 months.
• Possession of a temporary residence permit (TRP) or permanent residence permit (PRP) by a program participant serves as grounds for expedited acquisition of Russian citizenship.

 

Benefits for Participants in the Resettlement Program.

• Obtaining a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) through a simplified, expedited process
• Expedited acquisition of Russian citizenship
• The ability to import personal property from the country of residence into Russia duty-free
• The ability to import a vehicle from the country of residence into Russia duty-free
• Receipt of a relocation allowance from the host region
• Receipt of social assistance
• Access to medical care
• Assistance with housing arrangements

Phased Resettlement.

Phase 1. Submitting an application to register as a participant in the resettlement program and obtaining the corresponding certificate attesting to the individual’s rights and obligations.

The list of required documents is clearly defined by regulatory acts. It includes: an identity document (passport); documents regarding marital status; a residence permit; photographs; and other documents. The application is then submitted to the relevant government agencies for review. Once the application is approved, the applicant is granted the status of a participant in the “Compatriots” program. It is mandatory to list all family members, as they must also be included on the certificate. The document is valid for 3 years. After three years, the applicant loses the status granted. The government program allows participants to take part in the resettlement program only once.

Obtaining a certificate abroad subsequently requires additional documents for relocation under the resettlement program. These documents are processed at the embassy of the country where official resettlement status has been granted. Such documents include, for example, entry visas to Russia.

If an individual holds a temporary residence permit (TRP) or a permanent residence permit (PRP), they are eligible to apply for Russian citizenship through a simplified procedure. All that is needed to begin the process is an application. It is submitted to the Migration Service office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the constituent entity of the Russian Federation where the applicant plans to settle. The list of republics, territories, and regions participating in the program for the resettlement of compatriots is determined by the selection criteria for regions and territories. The list changes annually.

 

Step 2. Direct entry into the country, specifically into the Russian region where the resettlement program participant plans to reside.

This requirement applies only to resettlement program participants (and their family members) who reside abroad and have obtained their resettlement program participant status there.

 

To enter the country, you must have the following:  

• A passport (or other form of identification)
• A certificate of participation in the resettlement program
• A visa. This is required only for foreign citizens. It is worth noting that there is another important point: a visa is required only for citizens of countries outside the former Soviet Union
• A migration card

After entering Russia, a participant in the compatriot resettlement program must complete the registration process. However, there is another way to relocate. If a person has obtained resettlement program participant status while abroad, they have the right to apply to a Russian Consulate for a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP). This changes the sequence of steps, but only slightly. It simply means that obtaining the Temporary Residence Permit will be the second step, and entry into the country will be the third.

Step 3. Registration as a participant in the compatriot resettlement program.

This procedure is fairly simple. Upon arrival in the region of Russia selected for relocation, the prospective Russian citizen must visit the regional office of the Department for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. There, a notation will be made on their certificate confirming that the program participant has been registered as such.

 

Step 4. Registration at the Place of Residence.

Both the person moving and their family members must complete the migration registration process. In this case, the receiving authority requires the following documents:

• Passports (or other forms of identification) for the applicant and each family member.
• Certificate of participation in the compatriot resettlement program.
• Migration card.

It is worth noting that there is no need to visit government offices in this case. Simply presenting the documents listed above is sufficient. Migration registration is merely a notification of arrival.

Step 5. Obtaining a TRP Temporary Residence Permit.

As mentioned above, participants in the “Compatriots” program (family members) are not required to apply for a temporary residence permit TRP at the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Migration Service after entering the country. If a person resides abroad, they may apply at a Russian consulate. Receiving a certificate of participation in the program grants the holder a whole range of rights, including the right to obtain a Temporary Residence Permit in the country where they currently reside.

Step 6: Register at your future place of residence.

Most migrants overlook this step, yet it is very important. Being registered with the Migration Service is not the only requirement for beginning the process of applying for Russian citizenship. To submit an application, you must be registered at your place of residence. Only then can you expect a positive decision from the relevant government agencies.

Step 7. Submitting an application for Russian citizenship.

This final stage also raises many questions for potential migrants. One of them is: Is it mandatory to obtain a residence permit? The answer is no, it is not mandatory. Under the resettlement program, participants may apply for a residence permit only if they wish to do so. You can begin the simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship if you have a temporary residence permit (RVP) and are registered at your place of residence.

 

What are the obvious benefits of participating in the resettlement program?

For those who have decided to change their citizenship and participate in the resettlement program for compatriots, it is very important to do more than just have a thorough understanding of the procedure. It is also necessary to evaluate all the advantages of this method of acquiring the rights and responsibilities of a citizen. Let’s take a look at the key benefits of the resettlement program:

1. By participating in the resettlement program, the applicant obtains citizenship quickly, without having to apply for a temporary residence permit quota.

2. The applicant obtains Russian citizenship and, at the same time, secures citizenship for their family, including grandparents, sisters, and brothers.

3. The applicant has the option to either apply for citizenship or obtain a residence permit.

4. Participants in the resettlement program are not required to provide proof of income or property ownership to the Migration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, nor are they required to take a Russian language exam.

5. The process of obtaining citizenship through the resettlement program takes 3 months.

6. A large portion of the costs associated with moving to the Russian Federation is reimbursed by the receiving region.

7. The possibility of receiving a relocation allowance from the region

8. It is possible to begin working as soon as you arrive in Russia, even before receiving a temporary residence permit. This applies to both program participants and their family members. It should be emphasized that this also grants the employer certain privileges: the employer is not required to obtain the necessary permits when hiring foreign nationals to perform certain types of work.

 To summarize all the advantages listed above, we can conclude that participating in the resettlement program offers a number of significant benefits. The process becomes much simpler, and the time required is reduced. However, to fully understand the issue, it’s worth noting that the government program also has certain characteristics that many may perceive as drawbacks. One of the main ones is the requirement to relocate to a specific region (which is indicated in the certificate of participation in the program). As of today, however, not all constituent entities of the Russian Federation are participating in the “Compatriots” program.

Do you have any additional questions about the resettlement program for compatriots? Please call us “Vorotagoroda.”