A Russian citizen who obtains Vanuatu citizenship must notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) within 60 calendar days. The clock runs from the date on the certificate, not from the day the passport reaches you. If you are abroad at that point, the 60 days run from the day you enter Russia.
What the obligation actually is
Russia allows its citizens to hold a second citizenship. You do not ask for consent in advance, and the notice is not a request for permission. It simply tells the state about something that has already happened: you now hold the citizenship of another country.
Treat it as a routine mandatory step after your documents arrive. It has no bearing on the decision of the Vanuatu Commission and does not change your status in either country. Its only purpose is to meet the Russian requirement on time.
The duty arises only once citizenship has been granted. While your application is under review or before the Commission, there is nothing to report. The approval letter does not start the clock either, because approval does not yet make you a citizen.
Who files in a family
The rule is straightforward: each Russian citizen notifies the MVD personally. One family application is enough for the Vanuatu program, but the MVD receives several separate notices. One spouse cannot cover the other, while a parent files for the children.
The duty is tied to Russian citizenship. If someone in your application does not hold it, the requirement does not apply to them.
| Person in the application | Who notifies the MVD |
|---|---|
| Main applicant, Russian citizen | The applicant |
| Spouse, Russian citizen | The spouse, separately |
| Child, Russian citizen | A parent |
| Adult child, Russian citizen | The adult child |
| Applicant's parent, Russian citizen | That parent |
| Person without Russian citizenship | No notice required |
How to count the 60 calendar days
These are calendar days, so weekends and public holidays count. The starting point depends on where you are when you obtain citizenship.
A hypothetical example. Your certificate is dated 10 March and you live in Russia. Day 60 falls around 9 May. If you are abroad on the certificate date and return to Russia on 1 June, the period runs from 1 June and ends in the last days of July.
Do not aim for the final day. A margin of a few weeks comfortably absorbs a holiday, a busy period or a technical failure.
| Situation | Count from | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| You are in Russia | Date of the citizenship certificate | 60 calendar days |
| You are abroad | Day of entry into Russia | 60 calendar days |
Why you should not wait for the passport
The easiest mistake is to start counting from the day you collect the passport. The certificate and the passport are separate documents with separate dates. Biometrics happen apart from the oath, and passports are issued 2-4 weeks after biometrics.
That means a noticeable part of the 60 days can pass while your passport is still being produced. What feels like nearly two months may be far less on paper.
Note the certificate date the moment you receive it and set a calendar reminder. If your family includes several Russian citizens, each adult needs a reminder, because each of them files separately.
How to file: Gosuslugi or in person
There are two routes: the Gosuslugi public services portal or in person. Choose the one you will actually complete sooner. If your Gosuslugi account works, start there. If you have no access or prefer to hand in the papers yourself, go in person.
The form and the list of attachments follow the Russian rules in force on the filing date. Check them on the portal or at the MVD office before you submit, so you are not correcting a notice at the end of the period.
- keep your citizenship certificate at hand, plus your Vanuatu passport if it has been issued
- check how names and dates appear in every document
- save the confirmation of filing, as it shows you met the deadline
- when filing for a child, act as the parent and keep the child's documents apart from your own
If you are abroad or the family lives in different countries
Neither biometrics nor the oath requires a flight to Vanuatu. The oath is taken online by video call, and biometrics can be done in Moscow, St Petersburg, Dubai, Hong Kong or Port Vila. So citizenship may reach you wherever you live, and that is not necessarily Russia.
If you are outside Russia on the date you obtain citizenship, the period starts on the day you enter. Each family member has their own date: one spouse may be in Russia while the other returns a month later. Their deadlines then differ, even though the certificates arrived together.
Keep proof of your entry date. If you file in person or are asked about timing, it will head off unnecessary questions.
Children born later
A child born during the process can be added to the application before the oath. The child then obtains citizenship with the family, and if the child is a Russian citizen, a parent files the notice.
A child born after the parent has become a Vanuatu citizen is a citizen by birth. If that child also holds Russian citizenship, do not put off the notification question: check the procedure against the child's documents as soon as you have them.
What the notice does not change
Your taxes do not depend on it. A passport alone does not change your tax position, because tax follows tax residency. Nor does the notice affect banks, since each bank makes its own decision on opening an account.
Vanuatu citizenship is for life and does not require you to relocate. An expired passport does not cancel citizenship, and replacing a passport does not mean new citizenship. If you have a question about your own family, raise it during the free preliminary check, which takes 1-2 working days and happens before any contract.
Common questions
How long do I have to notify the MVD?
60 calendar days from the day you obtain citizenship, based on the certificate date. If you are abroad, the 60 days run from the day you enter Russia.
Can one notice cover the whole family?
No. Each Russian citizen files personally, and a parent files for the children.
How can I file?
Through Gosuslugi or in person. Check the current form and list of attachments before you submit.
Should I wait until the passport is issued?
No. The count starts from the certificate date, while passports are issued 2-4 weeks after biometrics. Do not count from the day you receive the passport.