Putin signs historic decree on citizenship
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree “On certain categories of foreign citizens and stateless persons who have the right to apply for citizenship of the Russian Federation in a simplified manner.”
These persons also include citizens of Ukraine.
The corresponding text of the document was published on the president's official website, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
Citizens of Ukraine and stateless persons born and permanently residing in the territories of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, who left these territories before March 18, 2014, as well as their children, have the right to apply for admission to citizenship of the Russian Federation in a simplified manner.
In addition, citizens of Ukraine and stateless persons legally residing in Russia received this right.
“To provide the right to apply for admission to citizenship of the Russian Federation in a simplified manner in accordance with part eight of Article 14 of the Federal Law of May 31, 2002 No. 62-FZ “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”:
Citizens of Ukraine and stateless persons who have a temporary residence permit in the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as a temporary residence permit), a residence permit in the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as a residence permit), a refugee certificate, a certificate of temporary asylum on the territory of the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as a certificate of provision of temporary asylum) or a certificate of a participant in the State program to assist the voluntary resettlement to the Russian Federation of compatriots living abroad, permanently residing in the territories of certain regions of Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine as of April 7, 2014 and April 27 2014, respectively, as well as their children, including adopted children, spouses and parents,” the document says.
The decree also included foreign citizens and stateless persons who themselves or their relatives in the direct ascending line, whose adoptive parents or spouses were subjected to illegal deportation from the territory of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, as well as their relatives in the direct descending line, children and spouses, citizens of the Islamic Republic Afghanistan, the Republic of Iraq, the Yemen Republic and the Syrian Arab Republic, who were born on the territory of the RSFSR and were former citizens of the USSR and their children, spouses and parents.
In turn, Russian State Duma deputy from Sevastopol Dmitry Belik explained in his blog that Sevastopol and Crimean residents who, before March 18, 2014, studied at Ukrainian universities, worked on the mainland of Ukraine, were on business trips or visiting relatives, faced difficulties in obtaining Russian citizenship.
“These people could return to Sevastopol on March 19, May 1, a year later - life situations are different. But today they are united by difficulties in obtaining Russian passports. Of course, in each individual case an individual approach is needed, but in general this does not change the situation. It turns out that Sevastopol and Crimean residents at home, in their homeland, are forced to go through all the mandatory procedures in order to become citizens of their own country,” the deputy said.
According to him, after Putin’s new decree, which Belik calls “historic,” the situation is changing dramatically, and Crimeans are becoming Russian citizens by birthright.
As a reminder, the Russian President previously signed a decree on the commencement of a simplified citizenship procedure for residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.
English version :: Read in English Putin signs historic decree on citizenship