Beginning January 1, 2024, individuals who permanently reside outside Russia and wish to relocate there must prove their proficiency in the Russian language. The Council of Ministers approved this decision, and it was published in the official gazette portal for legal information.
The document explains that applicants can either undergo an interview or provide a document (original or copy) showing that they received language training within the Russian Federation after September 1, 1991. A diploma earned in a country where Russian is an official language is also acceptable evidence.
According to the decision, the central question is whether the applicant’s command of Russian is sufficient for operative verbal and written communication in a Russian-speaking environment.
This language requirement does not apply to Russian citizens living abroad, nor to citizens of Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Moldova.
Who is considered a citizen?
On June 22, 2006, Russia implemented a program designed to help citizens who found themselves outside the country after the Soviet collapse return to what many consider their historical homeland.
Citizens are defined as follows:
– Russians permanently living outside the Russian Federation;
– nationals of other states that were part of the USSR, or stateless individuals who held USSR citizenship;
– immigrants or stateless people who hold citizenship or a residence permit in a country other than the Russian state, the RSFSR, the USSR, or the Russian Federation, and their descendants.
The program offers relocation assistance limited to specific regions within Russia. Eligible participants receive reimbursement for moving expenses, waivers for government paperwork fees, a one-time settlement allowance, and a monthly stipend if income is lacking. In addition, a comprehensive benefits package covers education, health, and public employment services. Participants may relocate with family members including a spouse, dependent children (including adopted children), and the spouse’s children, as well as the spouse’s parents and siblings with their respective children, along with extended family such as grandparents and grandchildren, to Russia.
On March 30, the Russian president signed a law that requires relocation applicants to demonstrate a certain level of Russian language proficiency. Participants in this program can pursue citizenship through a streamlined process.
Deputy Mikhail Matveev, in December, proposed a bill to clarify the definition of “citizen” and submitted it to the State Duma.
He stated that the goal of the proposal is to close a loophole that allows immigrants representing nations with established independent states to relocate to Russia under the guise of their citizenship. He explicitly mentioned Ukrainians and Belarusians as exceptions in this context, and stressed that resettlement applicants must know Russian.
The deputy summarized his stance by saying: “If Russian is not spoken within the family, then such a person cannot truly maintain the spiritual, cultural, and legal ties that connect them to Russia.”
[Citations: Official government decree, 2024; State Duma records, 2023]