Putin signs law to ease Russian citizenship acquisition

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed Friday into law a bill on the simplification of obtaining Russian citizenship.

The document was published on the official legal information Internet portal.

The bill was passed by the State Duma lower parliament house on April 17 and endorsed by the Federation Council upper house on the same day.

"We simplify the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship and eliminate the bureaucratic red tape of Russian-speaking compatriots and those citizens of the former Soviet republics who already live in our country or relate themselves with Russia," State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has said.

The simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship will apply to residents of Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan with a valid Russian residence permit, as well as to Russian speakers residing in Russia.

It will also apply to foreigners married to Russians if they live in Russia and have common children, to foreigners, at least one of whose parents is a citizen of Russia and lives there, and to foreigners educated at Russian state institutions after July 1, 2002.

Under the new law, the applicants for Russian citizenship will no longer be required to renounce the existing one or reside in Russia for three years before submitting the application.

The law will become effective 90 days after the publication.