Russia Begins Revoking Citizenship: What's the Reason?

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced that starting today, it will begin revoking the citizenship status of individuals who have acquired Russian citizenship but have not completed the oath procedure. This information was reported by TASS.

It is indicated that the relevant norms are enshrined in a presidential decree concerning citizenship issues. The press center of the Ministry clarified that the deadline for those citizens to take the oath expired on November 22. "Such individuals will be considered as having not acquired Russian citizenship starting from November 23, 2024, and decisions regarding their acceptance of Russian citizenship will be deemed invalid," stated the agency.

The provisions of the decree do not apply to those who obtained Russian citizenship before September 1, 2017, when the oath requirement came into effect, or those exempted at the time of acquiring citizenship. Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had warned individuals who received citizenship after September 1, 2017, about the necessity to take the oath within the shortest time possible. This requirement also extends to children if the decision on their citizenship was made after they turned 18.

The proposal to establish a mandatory oath upon acquiring Russian citizenship was made by President Vladimir Putin in the summer of 2017. The procedure involves reciting a text and signing a document. In 2023, a federal law was adopted and a presidential decree was signed, which preserved these norms. The latest presidential document states the necessity for individuals who acquired citizenship to take an oath within one year.