Can you have dual citizenship

The short answer to the two-passport question is yes, but. The long one depends on two countries at once: one does not mind, another quietly treats you as its citizen only, and a third ends its citizenship the day you take someone else's. The check above compares both sides under the law; below are the same rules in plain text.

Can you have dual citizenship in Russia

Yes. Russia does not ban a second passport and does not end its own citizenship when a citizen takes another one. But inside the country the second citizenship barely exists: Article 10 of Federal Law No. 138-FZ on Citizenship treats such a person only as a Russian citizen unless an international treaty says otherwise.

In practice this is simple: you enter and leave Russia on the Russian passport and deal with Russian authorities as a Russian citizen. To them the foreign passport is background information, not a reason for special treatment.

Notifying the Interior Ministry about a second citizenship

There is one duty, and it is enforced strictly. Article 11 of Law No. 138-FZ requires you to notify the Interior Ministry (MVD) within 60 days of acquiring a second citizenship. If you are abroad at that moment, the period runs from the day you enter Russia, and you may also file the notice at a Russian consulate (Part 2 of Article 11). A residence permit in another country is reported under the same rules.

Breaking the procedure, meaning late or incomplete notice, carries a fine of 500 to 1,000 roubles under Article 19.8.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences. Failing to notify at all falls under Article 330.2 of the Criminal Code: a fine of up to 200,000 roubles or up to one year of income, or up to 400 hours of compulsory work.

Parents file the notice for minor children. If the second citizenship was declared in the application for Russian citizenship, no separate notice is needed.

Dual citizenship in Belarus, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries

Russia's neighbours view a second passport very differently, and the spread here is wider than between Europe and Latin America: from a relaxed yes in Armenia to loss of citizenship in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Belarus

A Belarusian citizen may hold a second passport, but the state does not recognise it: Article 11 of Law No. 136-Z on Citizenship treats such a person only as a citizen of Belarus. A new citizenship or residence permit must be reported within 3 months to the internal affairs bodies or a consulate. A foreigner who wants Belarusian citizenship must apply to their own state to give up its citizenship (Article 14).

Kazakhstan

The strictest option in the region. The Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan does not recognise another citizenship of its citizens (Article 3), and taking a foreign passport is a ground for losing the Kazakh one (Article 21). Hiding a second passport is risky: it is an administrative offence punishable by a fine or expulsion (Article 496 of the Code of Administrative Offences). A Russian who wants to become a citizen of Kazakhstan has to give up the Russian passport.

Kyrgyzstan

Here a second passport is allowed: Article 22 of Law No. 70 on Citizenship lets a Kyrgyz citizen hold another citizenship, and Russians are admitted without leaving Russian citizenship. The exception is the neighbours. Kyrgyzstan does not recognise the citizenship of Kazakhstan, China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and a Kyrgyz citizen who takes one of those passports loses the Kyrgyz one (Article 26). Details are on the Kyrgyz citizenship page.

Uzbekistan

The Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan does not recognise a foreign citizenship of its citizens (Article 12), and voluntarily taking a foreign passport is a ground for losing the Uzbek one (Article 25). A foreigner must first complete release from their previous citizenship to be admitted (Article 19).

Armenia

Dual citizenship has been allowed since 2007 (Article 13.1 of the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia). After receiving a second passport, an Armenian citizen reports it to the authorised government body no later than one month later. An Armenian passport does not stop a Russian from keeping the Russian one, but the notice to the Russian MVD is still mandatory. Requirements are on the Armenian citizenship page.

Ukraine

Law No. 4502-IX on multiple citizenship has been in force since 16.01.2026. A Ukrainian citizen may hold the citizenship of states on a list approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. Voluntarily acquiring Russian citizenship remains a ground for losing Ukrainian citizenship. Whether the country you need is on the list is checked against the current version before applying.

Russia and Israel, Germany, the US: where you keep both passports

Most popular destinations tolerate a second passport calmly, and in such pairs the jealous party is usually not the new country but the current one.

Israel

Returnees do not have to give up their previous citizenship. For the Russia and Israel pair this means two passports and one duty: notify the Russian MVD within 60 days. Details: Israeli citizenship by repatriation.

Germany

The loudest U-turn of recent years. Until 27.06.2024 Germany, as a rule, required naturalising applicants to leave their previous citizenship. The Citizenship Modernisation Act scrapped that requirement: you now keep your old passport, and Germans no longer lose citizenship when they take a second one. Timelines and requirements are on the German citizenship page.

USA

US law does not require you to leave your previous citizenship, although the oath includes renouncing former allegiance. For Russia that phrase changes nothing: Russian citizenship ends only through the formal release procedure, not through the wording of another country's oath. More: US citizenship by naturalisation.

Turkey, Argentina, Italy, Portugal, the UK, Canada and the Caribbean citizenship by investment countries accept a second passport just as calmly. The full list is in the table under the check.

Where naturalisation means giving up your passport

Jealous states are fewer, but Europe has them too. Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, Serbia and Monaco require renunciation on naturalisation, and in Latin America so do Mexico and Panama. Almost all have exceptions: Spain exempts citizens of Latin American countries and Portugal, the Netherlands exempts, for example, spouses of its citizens, and Austria exempts those granted citizenship for special merit.

Latvia and Lithuania let people who obtain citizenship by roots keep their second passport. In ordinary naturalisation citizens of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan must renounce.

Paraguay is a special case. It does not require proof of release from your previous citizenship, but Article 150 of the Constitution strips a naturalised citizen of Paraguayan citizenship if they later voluntarily take another one. So it is wise to get any other passports before the Paraguayan one. Analysis: Paraguayan citizenship.

If you have not chosen a country yet, start with the quiz which second passport suits me: it takes into account whether you keep your current passport.

How to keep both passports: the order of steps

1. Check the pair: does the new country let you keep your old passport.
2. Check your current country: does it end its citizenship when you take another one.
3. If renunciation is needed, learn the release procedure before applying: documents and decision time.
4. Apply for citizenship on the chosen basis.
5. Once you have the passport, meet the notification deadline: 60 days in Russia, 3 months in Belarus, one month in Armenia.

The law does not stop you from filing on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fees: a missed MVD deadline turns into a criminal case, leaving a citizenship in the wrong order can leave you without a passport for a while, and the Paraguayan passport can be lost over a later naturalisation taken at the wrong time. Murblz support removes these risks: we check the pair of countries under current law, plan the order of steps and prepare the applications and notifications. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first filing. A manager will calculate the support fee in the chat.

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