The fee for renouncing Russian citizenship has increased 12-fold

The Russian State Duma has passed a law imposing a significant increase in fees for migration services provided by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, including a 12-fold increase in the fee for renouncing Russian citizenship. 

Under the new rules, the cost of renouncing Russian citizenship has increased from 4,200 to 50,000 rubles, which at the current exchange rate amounts to approximately $550. 

The same fee applies to obtaining citizenship of an aggressor country. In addition, the law has significantly increased the fee for issuing a temporary residence permit, which has risen from 1,900 to 15,000 rubles, or approximately $165. The cost of obtaining a permanent residence permit has increased fivefold and now stands at 30,000 rubles, equivalent to approximately $330. The fee for hiring each foreign worker has risen to 15,000 rubles, or $165. 

Foreigners who have signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense to participate in the war against Ukraine have been fully exempted from paying any fees. At the same time, Russian lawmakers passed a law prohibiting the deportation of such foreign citizens and the revocation of their migration documents, with this provision applying retroactively to those who have already been deported. The procedure for renouncing Russian citizenship remains lengthy due to long lines and staff reductions at consulates, and for those facing persecution, it is further complicated by the requirement to travel to Russia in person to obtain the necessary documents.

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