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

9 min read · Published 6 October 2026

Since 27 June 2024 Germany has allowed dual citizenship, and Russian citizens keep their passport on naturalisation. We cover timelines, requirements, children, the army, taxes and the Russian notification.

In short

Yes: since 27 June 2024 Germany has not required you to give up your previous citizenship, so a Russian passport is kept on naturalisation; you only need to notify the Russian Interior Ministry.

Previous passport on naturalisation	Kept
Country rule	Since 27.06.2024 you keep your old passport, and Germans no longer lose citizenship when they take a second one
Legal basis	Citizenship Modernisation Act (StARModG), in force since 27.06.2024
What Russia requires	notify the Interior Ministry within 60 days
Checked	October 2026

Russian citizens naturalising in Germany used to have to give up Russian citizenship as a rule. The 2024 reform abolished that requirement, and now everything depends on residence time, language and self-sufficiency.

What Germany requires on naturalisation

The Citizenship Modernisation Act, in force since 27 June 2024, allowed multiple citizenship: foreigners no longer surrender their previous passport, and Germans no longer lose citizenship when taking a second one. The basic rule is in Section 10 of the Nationality Act: 5 years of legal permanent residence, German at B1 level, a knowledge-of-Germany test, self-sufficiency without social benefits and commitment to the democratic order.

The three-year route for exceptionally integrated applicants was abolished on 30 October 2025, so the minimum is again 5 years for everyone. Spouses of German citizens keep a separate rule: 3 years of residence with at least 2 years of marriage. The fee is €255 per adult, about $290, and €51 per child included in a parent's application.

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

Check your residence permit: at the time of application you need permanent residence, an EU Blue Card or a permit that can lead to permanent status; study and job-search permits do not qualify.
Prove language and knowledge: a B1 German certificate and the knowledge-of-Germany test.
Collect proof of self-sufficiency: an employment contract, income statements or tax returns, and no social benefits.
Apply to the naturalisation authority where you live: in many cities a decision takes from several months to a year or more.
Receive the naturalisation certificate and only then apply for a German passport. You do not hand in your Russian passport.
Notify the Russian Interior Ministry within 60 days of receiving the passport, or within 60 days of entering Russia if you are abroad.

Trips abroad of up to 6 months do not break the residence period. If the authority delays a decision for more than 3 months without reason, the law allows a court action for failure to act.

What happens to children

A child with one German parent acquires German citizenship by birth, and Russian citizenship too if the other parent is Russian; neither has to be given up. A child of foreigners born in Germany becomes German by birth if one parent has lived legally in the country for at least 5 years and holds an unlimited right of residence. The former duty of such children to choose one citizenship has been abolished.

Taxes and military service

Taxes in Germany depend on residence, not on the passport: residents pay progressive income tax of up to 45%. A double tax treaty between Russia and Germany exists, but in August 2023 Russia suspended its main provisions, so income from Russia, such as rent and interest, is calculated separately.

Compulsory conscription in Germany has been suspended since 2011. Since 2026 a new military service law applies: young men fill in a mandatory questionnaire, but service itself is still voluntary. A Russian citizen's Russian military duty remains.

Common mistakes

Applying on an unsuitable residence permit. Permits for study, language courses, job search and some humanitarian statuses do not lead to naturalisation.
Counting on the three-year route. It was abolished on 30 October 2025, and applications without a delivered certificate follow the 5-year rule.
Receiving social benefits before applying. Self-sufficiency is checked, and benefits can lead to refusal.
Renouncing Russian citizenship out of habit. Since 2024 it is unnecessary, and renunciation is a long separate procedure.
Missing the Russian Interior Ministry notification. The deadline is 60 days from receiving German citizenship, and failure carries criminal liability.

How to get German citizenship

The only mass route for a foreigner is naturalisation after 5 years of legal residence in Germany with language and self-sufficiency. Spouses of German citizens move faster, and descendants of people who lost German citizenship through persecution in 1933-1945 can have it restored under a separate rule.

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

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

Naturalisation without renunciation or needless waiting

The law does not stop you from applying for German citizenship on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fee: an unsuitable residence permit, incomplete proof of income, expired certificates and a missed notification to the Russian Interior Ministry. We check whether you are ready to apply, assemble the file for the authority and handle the application until the certificate is delivered.

Our consultant in the chat will calculate the cost of support.

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This topic in other countries

Dual citizenship rules with Russia in other countries:

FAQ

Can you hold German and Russian citizenship at the same time?

Yes: since 27 June 2024 Germany has not required you to give up your previous citizenship, so a Russian passport is kept on naturalisation; you only need to notify the Russian Interior Ministry.

Do I need to notify the Russian Interior Ministry about German 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.

Do I need to give up Russian citizenship to become German?

No. Since 27 June 2024 Germany has not required anyone, including Russian citizens, to give up their previous citizenship.

How many years must I live in Germany to get citizenship?

5 years of legal permanent residence; spouses of German citizens 3 years with at least 2 years of marriage. The three-year route was abolished on 30 October 2025.

How much does German citizenship cost?

The fee is €255 per adult, about $290, and €51 per child, plus a language certificate, the test and document translations.

Will a child have dual German and Russian citizenship?

Yes, if one parent is German and the other Russian. The duty for children to choose one citizenship has been abolished.

Is there compulsory military service in Germany?

Conscription has been suspended since 2011. Under the new 2026 law young men fill in a mandatory questionnaire, but service is still voluntary.

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

What Germany requires on naturalisation

What Russia requires

How to keep both passports: step by step

What happens to children

Taxes and military service

Common mistakes

How to get German citizenship

This topic in other countries

FAQ

Don’t want to figure this out alone?

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