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Egypt and Russia dual citizenship: can you keep both passports in 2026

9 min read ·

Egypt does not require investors to give up their previous passport, so the Russian one stays. But men under 30 should sort out military service in advance: it is compulsory in Egypt.

In short

Yes. Egyptian citizenship by investment does not require giving up a previous citizenship, and Russia allows a second citizenship provided you notify the Interior Ministry.

Previous passport on naturalisationKept
Country ruleInvestors do not need to give up their previous citizenship
Legal basisEgyptian Nationality Law
What Russia requiresnotify the Interior Ministry within 60 days
CheckedOctober 2026

For Russian citizens an Egyptian passport almost always means citizenship by investment: ordinary naturalisation requires 10 years of living in the country. The programme has run since 2019 and does not stop you keeping your Russian passport. What can get in the way is the army, the pound exchange rate and expectations about Schengen.

What Egypt requires on naturalisation

Egyptian Nationality Law No. 26 of 1975 allows naturalisation for a foreigner who has lived in the country for 10 consecutive years, has lawful means of support and a clean record. The Interior Minister decides, and meeting the conditions does not create a right to a passport.

The fast route is citizenship by investment under Law No. 190 of 2019. The options: a non-refundable contribution from $250,000, property from $300,000 held for 5 years, or a $500,000 deposit for 3 years. The state fee is about $10,000 and processing takes 6-12 months, in practice longer. You need to travel to Egypt twice: for 2 days to apply and for about a month after approval. Giving up your Russian passport is not required.

What Russia requires

Russia allows a second citizenship and does not end its own, but inside the country treats you only as a Russian citizen (Article 10 of Federal Law No. 138-FZ on Citizenship).

  • Within 60 days of receiving the second passport, file a notification with the Interior Ministry (MVD). If you are abroad at that moment, the period runs from the day you enter Russia.
  • Attach a copy of the foreign passport or another document proving the citizenship.
  • Failure to notify falls under Article 330.2 of the Russian Criminal Code: a fine of up to $2,400 or up to one year of income, or up to 400 hours of compulsory work.
  • Late or incomplete notification: a fine of $10-15 under Article 19.8.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences.
  • A residence permit abroad must be reported under the same rules (Article 11 of Law No. 138-FZ).

A Russian citizen with a second passport may not hold state or municipal office, serve in government bodies or stand for election. The duties of a Russian citizen, including military service, remain, and inside Russia the second passport is not taken into account.

How to keep both passports: step by step

  1. Choose the route: contribution, property or deposit; ordinary naturalisation requires 10 years of living in Egypt.
  2. Prepare documents: proof of the source of funds, a criminal record certificate, birth and marriage certificates translated into Arabic.
  3. Apply during the first visit to Egypt, about 2 days.
  4. Wait for the decision: usually 6-12 months.
  5. Collect the Egyptian passport during the second visit; the Russian one stays valid.
  6. Notify the Russian Interior Ministry within 60 days of receiving the passport, or within 60 days of entering Russia if you are abroad.

If you choose property, you cannot sell it before 5 years, and the deposit is returned after 3 years in Egyptian pounds. The pound can fall noticeably against the dollar over those years, a real cost that is rarely mentioned up front.

What happens to children

Egyptian citizenship passes to a child through either an Egyptian father or an Egyptian mother, wherever the child is born. An investor's minor children are included in the application. A child with Russian and Egyptian citizenship keeps both passports, but to Egypt they are first of all Egyptian, and sons are covered by Egyptian military service rules.

Taxes and military service

Egyptian tax residents pay income tax on a scale up to 27.5%. Russia has a double tax treaty with Egypt from 1997, so the same income is not taxed twice. Citizenship itself creates no tax: residence depends on where you live for more than 183 days.

Military service in Egypt is compulsory for men aged 18 to 30 and lasts 12 to 36 months depending on education, under Law No. 127 of 1980. The law has no blanket exemption for naturalised citizens, and a man with an unresolved military status may face an exit ban. A Russian citizen's military duty also remains.

Common mistakes

  • Treating an Egyptian passport as a ticket to Schengen. The EU, US and UK still require visas.
  • Selling the property before 5 years. This breaches the programme condition.
  • Failing to document the source of funds: the main reason for refusals.
  • Ignoring military service for men and sons under 30.
  • Missing the notice to the Russian Interior Ministry about Egyptian citizenship: the deadline is 60 days.

How to get Egyptian citizenship

For Russian citizens the realistic route is citizenship by investment: from a $250,000 contribution, with no residence or exam. An Egyptian passport gives 49 visa-free destinations, but Schengen, the US and the UK still require visas.

Requirements, timelines and costs are on the page Egyptian citizenship.

You can check any pair of countries with the dual citizenship checker and compare all countries in the overview dual citizenship in 2026.

The main risks are the source of funds and the army for sons

The law does not stop you from applying for Egyptian citizenship on your own. But mistakes cost more than the state fee: an undocumented source of money, property without a clean title document, sons under 30 whose military status was not resolved in advance, a missed notice to the Russian Interior Ministry. Murblz support removes these risks: Murblz specialists choose the investment option, prepare proof of the source of funds and translations, and run the application until the passport is issued. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first filing.

The support fee depends on the investment option and family size; a manager will calculate it in chat.

Find out the support fee

This topic in other countries

Dual citizenship rules with Russia in other countries:

More on this country:

You can check any pair of countries with the dual citizenship checker and compare all countries in the overview dual citizenship in 2026.

FAQ

Can you hold Egyptian and Russian citizenship at the same time?
Yes. Egyptian citizenship by investment does not require giving up a previous citizenship, and Russia allows a second citizenship provided you notify the Interior Ministry.
Do I need to notify the Russian Interior Ministry about Egyptian citizenship?
Yes. A Russian citizen notifies the Interior Ministry of a second citizenship within 60 days under Article 10 of Law No. 138-FZ; failing to notify carries criminal liability under Article 330.2 of the Russian Criminal Code.
Does Egypt allow dual citizenship?
Yes. Investors do not have to give up their previous citizenship. For Egyptian citizens, the law requires the Interior Minister's permission to acquire a second citizenship.
How much does Egyptian citizenship by investment cost?
A non-refundable contribution from $250,000, property from $300,000 held for 5 years, or a $500,000 deposit for 3 years. Plus a state fee of about $10,000.
Do you have to live in Egypt to get citizenship?
Not for citizenship by investment: two visits are enough, about 2 days to apply and about a month after approval. Ordinary naturalisation requires 10 years of living in the country.
Do you have to serve in the Egyptian army after getting citizenship?
The duty applies to men aged 18 to 30, and the law makes no blanket exemption for naturalised citizens. It is worth resolving before applying.
Will a child get Egyptian citizenship?
Yes, if the father or mother is an Egyptian citizen. An investor's minor children are included in the application.

Don’t want to figure this out alone?

We handle the whole process end to end: we check your documents, match a program to your situation and give you honest timelines and costs. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.

The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.

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