Russian politicians have recently sparked a debate about the potential denouncement of the 1995 dual citizenship agreement between Russia and Tajikistan. What lies behind this initiative, and what could it mean for citizens holding dual passports?
In early December, Russian lawmakers began discussing the possibility of Russia exiting the dual citizenship agreement with Tajikistan. State Duma Deputy Mikhail Delyagin appealed to the government to denounce the treaty, which was signed in 1995. Around the same time, Sergei Mironov, leader of the political party “Fair Russia — For Truth,” proposed removing the constitutional provision that allows for dual citizenship in Russia.
Why is this issue being raised now?
Currently, Russia has a dual citizenship agreement only with one country—Tajikistan. Mikhail Delyagin brought the matter to the forefront in December, explaining that the original purpose of the treaty was to assist Tajikistan in recovering from the devastating civil war and to facilitate the granting of Russian citizenship to ethnic Russians who remained in the region after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
In Delyagin’s view, these goals have already been achieved, and the treaty no longer serves its purpose. He argued that it leads to “poor-quality migration” and discriminates against citizens of other post-Soviet states like Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, which do not have similar agreements with Russia. Delyagin also claimed that the continuation of the agreement encourages accelerated migration from Tajikistan to Russia, particularly for individuals seeking Russian citizenship, often with social rather than labor motives. He warned that this strains Russia’s social security system, disrupts the country’s ethnic and religious balance, and leads to the formation of parallel systems of authority that undermine the Russian state, contributing to increased social and political tension.
ИЗОБРАЖЕНИЕ Mikhail Delyagin
This argument fits into the broader trend in Russia in recent years of tightening immigration controls, focusing on national security, and monitoring mobility.
Who is opposing the denouncement?
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has expressed support for the dual citizenship agreement, calling it beneficial and in the interests of citizens in both countries.
ИЗОБРАЖЕНИЕ Sergei Lavrov
During a government session in the State Duma, Lavrov stated, “The treaty is in effect, it’s beneficial, it’s equitable, and it serves the interests of Tajik citizens, as well as Russian citizens living in Tajikistan.”
Lavrov emphasized that even though there are fewer Russian citizens in Tajikistan, they enjoy the same rights as Tajik citizens in Russia.
Is denouncing the agreement a realistic scenario?
From a legal standpoint, it is possible for Russia to denounce the agreement, as it has previously done with Turkmenistan. The agreement with Turkmenistan was in effect from 1995 to 2015 before being terminated.
"Dual citizenship is rare in international relations. Even Turkmenistan ended its dual citizenship agreement with Russia. However, Tajikistan has kept it despite various demands from European countries to terminate the deal. They were willing to make significant concessions just to have the treaty annulled, but we resisted,” said Tajik political analyst Saifullo Safarov.
However, the current situation is much larger in scale. While exact statistics on the number of dual citizens in Russia and Tajikistan are not available, the number of Tajik citizens obtaining Russian citizenship is significant—173,000 individuals were granted Russian citizenship in 2022 alone. Despite a decrease in the overall number of people seeking Russian citizenship in recent years, this figure highlights the substantial number of Tajik citizens holding both passports.
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How has Tajikistan reacted to these developments?
According to Tajik political analyst Parviz Mullojanov, discussions about denouncing the dual citizenship agreement with Tajikistan have been ongoing in Russia for quite some time.
“These proposals are usually put forward by nationalist politicians, deputies, and various public organizations, such as Delyagin, Mironov, and others. Their goal is to push for stricter immigration policies and a reduction in foreign migration to Russia,” said Mullojanov.
However, Mullojanov believes that the position of the Russian government remains relatively cautious on this issue. He pointed to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s statement supporting the agreement as an example of Russia’s more moderate stance.
“As of now, proposals to denounce the treaty are declarative in nature and are unlikely to gain traction in the State Duma unless the Russian leadership changes its stance,” Mullodzhanov concluded.
What Happens to those with dual citizenship?
If the agreement is denounced, individuals with dual citizenship will be required to choose between Russian or Tajik citizenship. While some may consider formally renouncing one citizenship but continuing to hold both, this approach would be illegal and difficult to execute.
Both Russia and Tajikistan use digital citizen registries, and the regular exchange of information between agencies has become the norm. If a person was issued a passport, their citizenship records remain in the database, even if the passport is later annulled.
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However, some experts believe that significant changes are unlikely, and if there are any, they may benefit Tajikistan.
“Even if such a decision is made, there will be no major impact on those holding dual citizenship. While Russia only has a dual citizenship agreement with Tajikistan, many citizens of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan who obtain Russian citizenship still retain their national passports. Russian law does not impose penalties for this; the only requirement is to inform the Ministry of Internal Affairs about the second citizenship,” said Parviz Mullojanov.
“Overall, this could even work to our advantage. The intellectual potential accumulated by our citizens will eventually return home and boost our economy. We’ve spent years educating these specialists, but they have been working in Russia for the benefit of the Russian economy,” said Tajik political analyst Saifullo Safarov.
“If they are rejected, we will welcome their return. They remain our citizens, and no one can deny them the right to come home. By law, each of them has the right to live and work in their homeland,” he concluded.
