The flow of immigrants to Russia has decreased, citizens of Central Asia still travel willingly 0 7

The ongoing war in Ukraine, which has lasted almost four years, and the tightening of requirements for new citizens have dampened foreigners' desire to obtain Russian citizenship. From January to September 2025, 110,800 people received Russian passports — 30.1% less than in the same period last year. This is according to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). The top five countries whose residents most frequently obtained Russian citizenship this year were Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Ukraine.

The MVD explained the decrease in passport issuance by the tightening of control, as well as the fact that residents of the occupied regions of Ukraine mostly acquired Russian citizenship in 2022–2024. At the same time, the ministry recorded a 32% increase in the number of foreigners working under patents — up to 1.9 million people, as well as a 52% increase in the number of work permits issued — up to 103,000. Patents are obtained by citizens of visa-free neighboring countries, while work permits are issued to citizens of China, India, and African countries. The number of employments of citizens from the Eurasian Economic Union also increased by 26.4% — to nearly 730,000.

Authorities have revised the conditions for simplified citizenship acquisition and tightened control over those who previously obtained it through resettlement programs, temporary residence permits (RVP), or residence permits (VNZh), said Alexey Gavrishev, managing partner of AVG Legal. The approach to citizenship acceptance has become more selective: instead of increasing the number of new citizens, the main focus is on "quality" — in each individual case, security threats, social compatibility, and loyalty to the state are assessed, confirmed Vladimir Popov, associate professor of private law at the State University of Management. According to him, the reduction in the number of new citizens is a consequence of having passed the peak of simplified procedures, while the increase in the number of patents and work permits issued is a response to the structural shortage of labor in the economy.