Yes, Russia grants citizenship, but the process requires fulfilling specific criteria, often involving long-term residency (usually 5 years), demonstrating Russian language proficiency, and adhering to strict documentation and legal requirements, with recent laws creating simplified paths for military personnel and tighter rules for others, including those marrying Russian citizens.
Foreign nationals may become citizens by admission after meeting a minimum residence requirement (usually five years), proving a legal source of income, and demonstrating proficiency in the Russian language. Russia was previously a part of the Soviet Union and its residents were Soviet citizens.
Russian citizenship remains difficult to obtain because applicants must fulfill both exact requirements and stay in the country for five years.
Russia doesn't recognise dual nationals. This means Australian officials may not be allowed to access or support you in any way. To leave, you'll need a valid Russian passport.
The permanent residence permit is the first step to acquiring Russian citizenship. A Russian green card may be obtained after holding a temporary residence visa for two years. The Russian long-term visa permit has a five-year validity period and can be extended without any limitation.
Russia's immigration policy is one of the world's most liberal policies. This country gives its citizenship to the individuals who live in Russia for five years and pass the Russian language exam under the current law.
Since 1996, Russia's constitution has provided citizens and residents with the right to free healthcare. This is provided by the state through the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund (also called the OMI or Obligatory Medical Insurance). It is funded through payroll and employer contributions.
If you plan to immigrate to Russia from Australia, you will need to complete various formalities. For example, for short-term stays of maximum 90 days, you must apply for a visa. For long-term stays, a residence permit is required.
From November 10, 2025, new rules for extending the period of temporary stay for foreign citizens in Russia come into force. Order No. 785 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs dated October 21, 2025, introduces key changes to migration procedures, making it mandatory for most applicants to file a specific application.
What are the advantages of being a Russian citizen?
Marriage is no longer a ground to apply for Russian citizenship. It's only the Russian child that allows to apply for citizenship on simplified grounds. Otherwise, to apply for citizenship foreign national should reside in Russia for 5 years based on permanent residency.
Many people live comfortably in Russia. The country is offering many basic guarantees to its citizens, like free medicine and free education (including higher education for successful students). The cost of living is relatively low and there are some good career opportunities.
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No citizenship or residency requirement for property purchase. Foreigners must obtain a Taxpayer Identification Number (INN) before completing the transaction. Real estate transactions must be notarized and registered with Rosreestr (Federal Service for State Registration).
Russian Federation's passport holds a prestigious position in the global passport rankings for 2026. As one of the world's most powerful travel documents, it offers its holders exceptional global mobility and access to a vast number of countries without the need for prior visa arrangements.
Everyone may freely leave the Russian Federation. Citizens of the Russian Federation shall have the right freely to return to the Russian Federation.
The Muslim population in Russia is estimated at around 16 million in 2025, roughly 11% of the total population of 146 million. This figure comes from demographic projections and varies across sources, with estimates ranging from 14 to 25 million.
Support for Vladimir Putin in Russia generally hovers high, with recent polls showing approval around 79-86%, boosted by events like the Ukraine invasion, though varying by pollster, age, and specific policies, with some analysts suggesting a portion of this support stems from a "rally around the flag" effect, while genuine enthusiastic support for the war itself might be lower (around 10-15%).
Russia placed Australia on a list of "unfriendly countries", along with South Korea, the United States, European Union members, NATO members (except Turkey), New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, Micronesia, Canada, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
Bachelor: To live well in Moscow or St. Petersburg, a bachelor must earn RUB 900,000–1,200,000 a year or RUB 75,000–100,000 RUB per month. Couple: The average couple needs RUB 1,600,000–2,200,000 per year—RUB 130,000–180,000 per month—to afford housing, food, transportation, and leisure.
Applicants or Individuals need to hold a permanent residence permit in Russia. Applicants need to live in Russia on PR for at least 5 years, and the period of residing outside Russia should not be more than 3 months in a year. Applicants need to abide by the Russian constitution.
The leading cause of death in Russia is overwhelmingly diseases of the circulatory system, primarily ischemic heart disease and stroke, followed by cancers (especially lung cancer), with significant mortality also from external causes like accidents, alcohol poisoning, and suicide, reflecting high rates of preventable deaths compared to Western Europe. Cardiovascular diseases account for over half of all deaths, a much higher proportion than the European average.
Education in state-owned secondary schools is free; first tertiary (university level) education is free with reservations: a substantial number of students enroll on full pay. Male and female students have equal shares in all stages of education, except in tertiary education where women lead with 57%.