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

10 min read · Published 6 October 2026

Monaco requires naturalisation to strip you of your previous citizenship, so both passports cannot be kept. Only foreigners who acquire citizenship through marriage to a Monegasque keep theirs, and everyone else has to time leaving Russian citizenship against the Prince's decision.

In short

No, if citizenship is acquired by naturalisation: the Prince signs the ordinance only if you lose your previous citizenship. The exception is citizenship through marriage to a Monegasque, where the applicant, on the contrary, undertakes to keep their own.

Previous passport on naturalisation	Renunciation on naturalisation
Country rule	Naturalisation means losing your previous citizenship
Legal basis	Monaco Nationality Law
What Russia requires	notify the Interior Ministry within 60 days
Checked	October 2026

Russia allows a second citizenship, so everything depends on Monaco's Law No. 1.155 of 18 December 1992. It works in mirror image: on naturalisation you must lose your previous passport, while on marriage you must keep it. Monaco has never had citizenship by investment.

What Monaco requires on naturalisation

Article 5 of the nationality law requires 10 years of ordinary residence in Monaco after the age of 18, a check of character and integration, including French, and two conditions that matter most for Russians: naturalisation must strip you of your previous citizenship and permanently free you from military obligations in another country. The Prince decides personally by ordinance after hearing the Crown Council; refusals are not explained and cannot be appealed. In 2025, 21 people became citizens by naturalisation.

If a country's law does not release a person without another citizenship, the ordinance may be signed earlier, but loss of the previous citizenship must be confirmed within 6 months of its publication. Miss that and neither you nor your children are deemed ever to have become Monegasque. For 5 years after naturalisation it can also be revoked.

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

Get a long-stay visa D through the French consulate where you live, fee about $120, and a Monaco resident card.
Live in Monaco for 10 years after 18 - genuinely, with your centre of life in the principality: a flat while living elsewhere builds no residence time.
Petition the Prince through the Directorate of Judicial Services with proof of residence for all 10 years and of integration.
Plan how you will leave Russian citizenship in advance: Law No. 138-FZ does not release a person without another citizenship or a guarantee of one.
After the ordinance, complete the exit through the Russian consulate and confirm it in Monaco within 6 months.
If citizenship comes through marriage, your Russian passport stays, and you must notify Russia's Interior Ministry of the second citizenship within 60 days.
Notify the Russian Interior Ministry within 60 days of receiving the passport, or within 60 days of entering Russia if you are abroad.

Russia will not let you leave its citizenship with tax or fine arrears, enforcement proceedings or an open criminal case, so these are settled before the petition. Until the exit is complete, a Russian citizen must notify the Interior Ministry of a Monaco residence permit.

What happens to children

Birth in Monaco does not give citizenship, except for children of unknown parents. A child of a Monegasque father is a citizen from birth, and in some cases the child of a Monegasque mother. Minor children of a naturalised foreigner follow the decision on the parent, so their exit from Russian citizenship is also planned in advance.

Taxes and military service

Monaco has had no personal income tax since 1869, except for French nationals, and no capital gains tax. There is no double tax treaty between Russia and Monaco, so it matters which country you remain a tax resident of. More on our page on taxes in Monaco.

Monaco has no army conscription. But naturalisation must permanently free you from military service elsewhere, and a Russian citizen's military obligation remains until they leave that citizenship: for men of conscription and mobilisation age this is worked out before the petition.

Common mistakes

Leaving Russian citizenship before the ordinance. The Prince's decision is not guaranteed, and you may end up stateless.
Missing the 6 months after the ordinance. The naturalisation is deemed not to have happened.
Living between two countries. Naturalisation counts ordinary residence, not the resident card.
Leaving debts in Russia. With them the exit from citizenship will not be processed.
Missing the Interior Ministry notice of a residence permit or of citizenship through marriage: the deadline is 60 days.

How to get Monaco citizenship

There is one route: a resident card, 10 years in the principality and a petition to the Prince. Conditions, costs and chances are on our page on Monaco citizenship by naturalisation, and our page on Monaco residence helps with the first step.

Requirements, timelines and costs are on the page Monaco 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 risk is being left without a passport between two decisions

The law does not stop you petitioning for Monaco citizenship on your own. But mistakes cost more than fees: leaving Russian citizenship before the ordinance, missing the 6 months to confirm the exit, too little proof of 10 years of residence, a military obligation question not settled in advance. We track residence, prepare the file for the Directorate of Judicial Services and time the exit from Russian citizenship against the Prince's decision.

The cost of support depends on the stage and family size; our consultant in the chat will calculate it.

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This topic in other countries

Dual citizenship rules with Russia in other countries:

FAQ

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

No, if citizenship is acquired by naturalisation: the Prince signs the ordinance only if you lose your previous citizenship. The exception is citizenship through marriage to a Monegasque, where the applicant, on the contrary, undertakes to keep their own.

Do I need to notify the Russian Interior Ministry about Monaco 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 Monaco allow dual citizenship?

Not on naturalisation: the previous citizenship must be lost. When citizenship comes through marriage, the applicant keeps their own.

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

Only if Monaco citizenship comes through marriage. On naturalisation you must give up Russian citizenship within 6 months of the Prince's ordinance.

How many years do you need to live in Monaco for citizenship?

At least 10 years of ordinary residence after the age of 18. Childhood years do not count, and the decision rests with the Prince.

Can you buy Monaco citizenship?

No. Monaco has no citizenship by investment: neither buying a home nor a company gives a passport.

After how many years of marriage can you get Monaco citizenship?

After 20 years of marriage, or 10 years for marriages concluded before 1 July 2022. The previous citizenship is kept.

Does a child born in Monaco get citizenship?

No, birth in Monaco does not give citizenship. A child of a Monegasque father is a citizen from birth, and in some cases the child of a Monegasque mother.

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

What Monaco 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 Monaco citizenship

This topic in other countries

FAQ

Don’t want to figure this out alone?

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