Russia does allow dual citizenship, but only in a narrow legal sense: the sole country whose dual nationality Russia formally recognizes is Tajikistan. For every other combination, Russia treats the second passport as a private fact you must disclose, not a status that grants you anything. Inside Russia, you are Russian. That means reporting obligations, conscription, restrictions on public office, and travel rules that a foreign passport does not soften.
Dual Citizenship vs. Second Citizenship Under Russian Law
The distinction is not semantic. “Dual citizenship” under Russian law exists only where Russia has signed an international treaty with the other country governing how both nationalities interact. The only active treaty is with Tajikistan, dating to 1995.1President of Russia. Citizenship Some Russian lawmakers have pushed to terminate it, but as of late 2025 it remains in force.
Every other case is “second citizenship.” Russia acknowledges the foreign passport exists and assigns it no legal weight inside its borders. You will not receive diplomatic protection from your other country’s embassy while in Russia, and you cannot invoke foreign law to sidestep Russian obligations.
You Have to Tell the Government
Russian citizens who acquire a foreign citizenship or a foreign permanent residence permit must notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The filing lists the country, the date you acquired the status, and the foreign document number.1President of Russia. Citizenship
The deadline depends on where you were when the foreign status came through. Inside Russia at the time: 60 calendar days.2UNHCR Refworld. Federal Law of 28 April 2023 No 138-FZ On the Citizenship of the Russian Federation Abroad at the time: 30 days from your next entry into Russia.
The filing cannot be done at a Russian embassy or consulate. It happens inside Russia — in person, through someone with your power of attorney, by mail, or through the Gosuslugi portal. If you live abroad permanently and return for a visit longer than 30 days, that visit triggers the obligation.
Penalties
Missing the deadline is an administrative fine of 500 to 1,000 rubles. Concealing the foreign status altogether is a criminal offense under the Russian Criminal Code and carries a fine of up to 200,000 rubles or up to 400 hours of compulsory community service. The U.S. State Department has reported that dual U.S.-Russian nationals who failed to register have been arrested inside Russia.3U.S. Department of State. Russia Travel Advisory
Military Conscription Applies to Dual Nationals
Male Russian citizens are subject to mandatory military service regardless of a second passport, foreign residency, or service in another country’s armed forces. A November 2022 presidential decree extended the draft to dual citizens and Russians holding foreign permanent residency; before that decree, dual nationals had been exempt. From January 1, 2024, the conscription age range rose from 18–27 to 18–30.4President of Russia. Maximum Conscription Age Raised from 27 to 30 Years Starting from January 1, 2024
The State Department has stated that the Russian government has forced dual citizens into the military and prevented them from leaving the country.3U.S. Department of State. Russia Travel Advisory With the draft tied to the conflict in Ukraine ongoing, this is the most immediate risk for any male dual national of conscription age who sets foot in Russia.
How Dual Nationals Travel In and Out
Dual U.S.-Russian citizens must enter and exit Russia on a Russian passport. Your U.S. passport will not get you out, even if your Russian passport has expired. If it expires while you are in the country, you apply for a new one from inside Russia, and that typically takes several months.5U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Russia. U.S.-Russian Dual Nationals
A “Repatriation Certificate” issued abroad lets you into Russia but will not let you leave. Russian passports extended by consulates overseas are not accepted for departure either, regardless of how recent the extension. Russia has also blocked U.S. consular officers from visiting detained dual nationals, so if legal trouble comes up, U.S. assistance may not reach you in practice.3U.S. Department of State. Russia Travel Advisory
Jobs and Offices You Cannot Hold
Russian citizens with a foreign citizenship or foreign permanent residence permit are barred from a broad set of public roles. Federal law specifically excludes dual nationals from serving as members of either house of parliament, regional governors, regional legislators, members of the Security Council, senior officials of the Audit Chamber, and municipal deputies.6President of Russia. Federal Law Clarifying Requirements for Eligibility to Hold State and Municipal Office The 2020 constitutional amendments wrote these restrictions into the Constitution.
Restrictions run past government. A 2014 law caps foreign ownership in Russian media at 20 percent and prohibits media outlets from being funded or managed by foreign nationals, which includes Russian citizens with dual nationality. Positions involving state secrets, national defense, and law enforcement are closed as well.
Taxes
Tax residency in Russia turns on physical presence, not citizenship. Spend 183 or more days in a calendar year inside Russia and you are a tax resident. From January 1, 2025, resident income tax runs on a five-tier progressive scale at 13, 15, 18, 20, and 22 percent depending on annual income.7President of Russia. Law on Introducing a Progressive Personal Income Tax Non-residents pay a flat 30 percent on income earned in Russia.
For U.S.-Russian dual nationals, the picture worsened in 2024. The United States suspended the 1992 double taxation treaty with Russia, effective August 16, 2024, and the suspension covers the core provisions that had prevented the same income from being taxed twice.8U.S. Department of the Treasury. United States Notification of Suspension, By Mutual Agreement, of the 1992 Tax Convention with Russia It stays suspended until both governments agree otherwise. Dual nationals earning income in both countries may face double taxation, with only the U.S. foreign tax credit providing partial relief. Get professional tax advice.
Losing Russian Citizenship
People born Russian cannot lose their citizenship involuntarily. Naturalized citizens can. Russian law permits revocation of citizenship acquired through naturalization if the individual is convicted of certain serious crimes, and a 2024 law expanded that list to include manslaughter, homicide, rape, public incitement to terrorism, aiding a foreign adversary, and several offenses frequently used in politically motivated cases. Individuals who became Russian citizens under a federal constitutional law or an international treaty are exempt from these grounds, which effectively shields citizens covered by the Tajikistan treaty.9President of Russia. Law Expands List of Crimes That May Result in the Loss of Russian Citizenship
Renouncing on Your Own
Renunciation is possible but has tightened under the 2023 citizenship law. You cannot renounce with outstanding tax obligations to federal or municipal governments, with active enforcement proceedings against you, or with other unfulfilled obligations to the Russian state. The previous law counted only federal obligations. Until renunciation is formally completed through a Russian embassy or consulate, Russia may still treat you as a citizen — and if you enter on a foreign passport without finishing the process, you may be treated as Russian on arrival, with all the obligations that follow.5U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Russia. U.S.-Russian Dual Nationals
Becoming Russian Without Giving Up Your Other Passport
Foreign nationals can acquire Russian citizenship without renouncing an existing nationality. The standard path requires a permanent residence permit, five years of continuous residence in Russia, Russian language proficiency, knowledge of Russian history and law, a legal source of income, and agreement to abide by the Constitution.2UNHCR Refworld. Federal Law of 28 April 2023 No 138-FZ On the Citizenship of the Russian Federation The history and law requirements are new under the 2023 law.
Simplified pathways can reduce or eliminate the five-year residency requirement — for spouses of Russian citizens with a shared child, former Soviet citizens, native Russian speakers, and several other categories. Whichever path you take, becoming Russian triggers the notification duty in reverse: you must report your existing foreign nationality, and you fall under the office restrictions and conscription rules described above.
If You Hold or Want a U.S. Security Clearance
The U.S. Department of State evaluates dual citizenship as part of clearance decisions on a case-by-case basis using a “whole person” analysis. There is no automatic disqualification, but dual nationality raises a concern about divided loyalty that the applicant must overcome.10U.S. Department of State. Dual Citizenship – Security Clearance Implications
Under the federal adjudicative guidelines, exercising dual citizenship, possessing or using a foreign passport, and voting in foreign elections can each raise disqualifying concerns. Mitigating factors include dual citizenship resulting solely from birth or parentage, or a willingness to renounce the foreign citizenship. The core requirement is unquestioned allegiance to the United States and freedom from undue foreign influence. These principles apply across federal personnel security programs, not just the State Department.10U.S. Department of State. Dual Citizenship – Security Clearance Implications Russian dual nationality in particular is likely to draw heightened scrutiny.