Russian citizenship verification

If a person is NOT in possession of any valid Russian passport, the Consulate General needs to verify his/her Russian citizenship before issuing him/her new identification document (Passport or Return Certificate – temporary one-time travel document to enter Russia).

In order to perform citizenship verification procedure following documents should be submitted to the Consulate General: 

1. Filled out Application form with a consent to personal data processing (with applicant’s signature affixed); 

2. Filled out Questionnaire (with applicant’s signature and photo affixed); 

3. Copies of documents mentioned in Questionnaire (if any); 

4. Copy of identification document (any of applicant’s passports); 

Please be aware that because the state language of the Russian Federation is the Russian language, all the documents listed above are made in Russian.

Notice: All the fields of the Questionnaire should be filled out accurately (English translation is enclosed for your reference): 

1. Full name (previous name(s), if any); 

2. Date and place of birth; 

3. Current permanent registration address in Russia (if any); 

4. Permanent registration address in Russia as of February 6, 1992; 

5. If applicant acquired Russian citizenship after February 6, 1992, please specify where and when; 

6. If applicant was under 18 y.o. on February 6, 1992 or was born after this date, please specify following information about his/her parents –their full names, citizenship, registration address in Russia as of February 6, 1992, circumstances of Russian citizenship’s acquisition); 

7. Information about any Russian documents that applicant possesses (type, number, date and place of issue); 

8. Additional information about Russian citizenship’s acquisition by applicant (if any); 

9. Circumstances of departure from Russia (date, purpose, status in the U.S.).

IMPORTANT! If you were adopted, in addition to the paperwork listed above you have to submit copy of your first Certificate of Birth (the one containing information about your biological parents), Certificate of Adoption, new Certificate of Birth (the one containing information about your legal parents) and court decision about your adoption. You also have to provide information on your biological mother and father (their names, dates of birth and place of their registration in Russia on February 6, 1992).

After receiving all of the abovementioned documents the Consulate General will send a relevant request to Russian authorities. Should such request and relevant checks result in a positive reply (confirmation of the Russian citizenship), the Consulate General will get in touch with the applicant and the applicant will be able to apply for Passport or Return Certificate. 

According to Russian legislation duration of citizenship verification procedure is 2-3 months if no further data is needed. The Consulate General’s experience shows that it usually takes longer than that and in particularly complicated cases involving the adopted the process can extend to a year or longer.