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France and Russia dual citizenship: can you keep both

10 min read ·

France does not require you to give up your previous passport, and Russia does not end its citizenship. Here is what a French passport takes in 2026 and which obligations to Russia remain.

In short

Yes: France does not require renouncing your previous citizenship, and Russia does not end its own. A Russian citizen only has to notify the Interior Ministry of the French passport within 60 days.

Previous passport on naturalisationKept
Country ruleNo need to give up your previous citizenship
Legal basisFrench Civil Code (Code civil)
What Russia requiresnotify the Interior Ministry within 60 days
CheckedOctober 2026

There are no restrictions on either side, so the task comes down to two things: meeting the French naturalisation conditions, which became stricter in 2026, and not forgetting the Russian notification duty.

What France requires on naturalisation

Dual citizenship is allowed by the French Civil Code: the previous passport is not surrendered on naturalisation. You can apply after 5 years of lawful residence, and the centre of your life must be in France: long absences and family abroad are a common reason for refusal. After two successful years of higher education in France the period is cut to two years.

Since 1 January 2026 you need upper-intermediate French, oral and written, and a civics exam: 40 questions on the country's history, values and institutions, with at least 80% correct. The application fee from 1 May 2026 is about $290, and with the exam, language test and translations it usually comes to $680-900 per adult. The decision is made by decree, and 15-30 months pass from filing to the decree.

Spouses of French citizens obtain citizenship by declaration after 4 years of marriage, which is a right rather than a discretionary decision, but they also need the language and the exam. Children born in France to foreigners become French at 18 if they have lived in the country for at least 5 years from age 11.

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. Live in France for 5 years with a residence permit and the centre of your life in the country: work, family, taxes.
  2. Pass the language test and the civics exam. The certificate must cover both oral and written skills.
  3. Apply online on the migration service portal and pay the fee, then attend the interview at the prefecture.
  4. Wait for the decree and the ceremony. No one asks you to surrender your Russian passport along the way.
  5. Enter Russia on your Russian passport, and use the French one in France and the EU.
  6. Notify the Russian Interior Ministry within 60 days of receiving the passport, or within 60 days of entering Russia if you are abroad.

There is no step at which you need to give up Russian citizenship. The main risk lies not in French law but in Russian law: failing to file the notification carries criminal liability.

What happens to children

A child with at least one French parent is French by birth wherever they are born. If the other parent is a Russian citizen, the child also gets Russian citizenship, so children in mixed families usually hold both passports from birth.

Minor children living with a parent who acquires French citizenship become French together with them if they are listed in the application. For Russia such a child remains its citizen, and the notification of a second citizenship for children is filed by their legal representatives.

Taxes and military service

Taxes in France depend on tax residence, not citizenship: you become resident by your main home, after 183 days a year or by the centre of economic interests. Income tax is 0-45% on worldwide income. The double tax agreement with Russia has been almost entirely suspended since 8 August 2023, so income from Russia may be taxed in both countries.

France has no compulsory conscription; young citizens aged 16 to 25 attend a one-day defence and citizenship day. Russia regards a person with two passports only as its own citizen, so Russian obligations, including military registration, remain.

Common mistakes

  • Not notifying the Interior Ministry. Failing to file is a crime under Article 330.2 of the Criminal Code: a fine of up to 200,000 roubles or community service, and a late filing is an administrative fine.
  • Applying without the right certificate. Since 2026 upper-intermediate oral and written French is required, and old oral-only certificates do not count.
  • Living between two countries. If the centre of life and family are abroad, the prefecture refuses even after five years of residence.
  • Having tax debts. Tax notices for recent years are checked before filing.
  • Applying too early. The five years count lawful residence with a permit, not time since first entry.

How to get France citizenship

French citizenship is obtained by naturalisation after 5 years in the country, by marriage after 4 years or by birth. The first step is a residence permit: work, study, the talent passport, family or a visa for living on your own means. Details on the page naturalisation in France.

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

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

Get through naturalisation the first time

The law does not stop you applying for French citizenship on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fee: a certificate at the wrong level, gaps in the five years, the centre of life abroad, a forgotten notification to the Interior Ministry. We check when you become eligible, prepare you for the language test and civics exam, gather and translate documents and prepare you for the prefecture interview.

The cost of support depends on the basis and the family; a consultant will calculate it in the chat.

Talk to a consultant now

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 France and Russian citizenship at the same time?
Yes: France does not require renouncing your previous citizenship, and Russia does not end its own. A Russian citizen only has to notify the Interior Ministry of the French passport within 60 days.
Do I need to notify the Russian Interior Ministry about France 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.
Can you hold French and Russian citizenship at the same time?
Yes. France does not require renouncing the previous citizenship, and Russia does not end its own. You only need to notify the Interior Ministry of the French passport within 60 days.
Do you have to give up Russian citizenship for French?
No. The French Civil Code allows dual citizenship, and the Russian passport is not surrendered on naturalisation.
What level of French is needed for citizenship in 2026?
Since 1 January 2026, upper-intermediate oral and written French, plus a 40-question civics exam with an 80% pass mark.
How much does French citizenship cost?
The application fee is about $290. With the exam, language test and translations it usually comes to $680-900 per adult.
How many years must you live in France before citizenship?
5 years of lawful residence with the centre of interests in France, 2 years after two years of higher education there, and 4 years of marriage for spouses of citizens.
Will a child get both citizenships?
Yes, if one parent is French and the other a Russian citizen: the child is a citizen of both countries from birth.
What happens if you do not notify the Interior Ministry of a French passport?
Failing to notify is a crime under Article 330.2 of the Criminal Code, and late notification is an administrative fine.
How long does a French citizenship decision take?
Usually 15-30 months from filing to the naturalisation decree.

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