A bill has been submitted to the Russian State Duma proposing to increase the permanent residency period required to obtain Russian citizenship from 5 to 8 years. This initiative was developed by deputies of the LDPR faction and sent to the government for review.
The bill provides for amendments to the laws "On Citizenship of the Russian Federation" and "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation." According to the document, the period required to obtain a residence permit (VNJ) is proposed to be increased from 1 year to 2 years. It may also become possible to submit documents only after 8 months have passed since the beginning of the second year of stay in the country on the basis of a temporary residence permit (RVP).
LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky stated that these measures are aimed at strengthening control over foreign citizens. According to official data, more than 8,000 residence permits were revoked in Russia in the first quarter of 2026, which is 90 percent more than in the same period last year. The main reasons cited are the provision of false information and actions that threaten national security.
It should be recalled that as of July 27 of this year, state fees for processing citizenship and migration documents in Russia were significantly increased. In particular, the cost of applying for citizenship rose from 4,200 to 50,000 rubles, for a residence permit from 6,000 to 30,000 rubles, and for a temporary residence permit to 15,000 rubles.
