Russia eases the process of obtaining citizenship for highly skilled professionals

According to a new law that came into force on Oct. 2, highly qualified specialists from abroad no longer need to work three years in Russia to apply for Russian citizenship via the so-called “simplified” procedure. Back in July, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the relevant document reducing the length of required working stay to one year. 

Previously the list included 74 specific professions, but has been recently revised by the Russian Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (Mintrud) to include 135. Among the professions in question are agronomists, midwives, nurses, veterinarians, doctors of various specialties, engineers, teachers, pharmacists, electricians, milling machine operators, turners, locksmiths, and some members of the journalistic profession. (The full list is available here in Russian).

Compared to the general procedure, the simplified procedure doesn’t require an applicant to have a residence permit along with five years of interrupted residence in Russia. It also cuts the application assessment time to six months.

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