Without sweet liberty of citizenship

The State Duma adopted in the third, final reading a bill obliging Russian citizens to notify about the presence of a second citizenship or a residence permit in another state. It is reported by RIA "Novosti".

In accordance with the new law, a citizen of Russia, who has a second citizenship or residence permit in another state, is obliged to notify the territorial body of the FMS within 60 days. Instead of a minor citizen, his legal representatives may be submitted to the FMS.

For the untimely submission of data or the provision of obviously inaccurate or incomplete information, administrative liability is provided - a fine of 500 to a thousand rubles.

If the citizen hid information about the second citizenship, there is a criminal liability in the form of a fine of up to 200 thousand rubles or in the amount of the annual wage or other income of the convicted person, or mandatory work for up to 400 hours.

By the second reading, a number of amendments were made to the text of the bill. In particular, parliamentarians released citizens permanently residing abroad, from the obligation to notify the FMS about the presence of a second passport or residence permit.

The law, in the case of approval by the Federation Council and the President, will enter into force within 60 days after the official publication. In relation to the inhabitants of Crimea and Sevastopol, in accordance with the amendments, the norm will begin to operate on January 1, 2016.

On March 31, the draft law on the introduction of criminal liability for concealing second citizenship was introduced to the State Duma by the deputy from the LDPR Andrei Lugovoi . On May 12, the relevant State Duma Committee on Constitutional Law and State Building supported the bill . At the same time, the members of the committee announced the need to make a number of amendments to it. On May 14, the bill was adopted in the first reading.

On May 18, the permanent commission on migration policy and the protection of human rights in the field of interethnic relations of the Human Rights Council published a conclusion in which it underwent a bill of sharp criticism . Legislative innovations on criminal and administrative liability for the fact of hiding other citizenship can be implemented only within the framework of special legislative regulation for persons replacing state and equated positions, the authors of the conclusion believes. And ordinary citizens cannot be brought to criminal liability for concealment of second citizenship.