Foreigners are Required for Military Service to Obtain Russian Passport

According to the latest legislative bill adopted in the Russia’s State Duma, the Lower Chamber of Parliamentarians, during the first and other readings for amendment to the laws “On military duty and military service” and “On citizenship of the Russian Federation,” all categories of foreigners are required to do military service as a requirement for obtaining citizenship of the Russian Federation.

Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, was among the authors of the amendments. “Currently, foreign citizens and stateless males who acquire citizenship of the Russian Federation and are of military age have to register for military service at their place of residence (place of stay) and comply with federal law,” the authors note.

At the same time, there are widely discussed cases when, after obtaining Russian citizenship, such persons evade performing military service. In this regard, neglect of duties related to initially registering for military service of foreigners will be punishable by deprivation of Russian citizenship.