The main reason that makes Belarusians renounce their citizenship to their republic is the intention to legalize themselves in another state, having received its passport. Not all countries allow such a phenomenon as dual citizenship. For example, in Russia, all candidates for the status of its citizens will have to make a choice in favor of a new homeland. We will consider in more detail how the renunciation of Belarusian citizenship proceeds, how long it takes and what is needed for this.
What does the term "dual citizenship" mean?
In international jurisprudence, it is customary to operate with the concepts of dual and second citizenship. The first applies to persons who have received a passport of another state within the framework of bilateral agreements between countries. Such agreements refer to the mutual recognition of citizens and their identity documents. This allows you to hold two passports at the same time on an equal footing and fulfill the duties of a citizen in the country of permanent residence.
For those who intend to move to the Russian Federation, it will be important to know that the Russian state has not signed any agreements with Belarus. Therefore, if you have two passports, it will be legitimate to talk about a second citizenship. Dual citizenship in the Republic of Belarus is not allowed, in fact, as in the Russian Federation.
There is no direct prohibition in the law on staying in two civil statuses in the legislation of the countries. Yes, one of the conditions for legalization is the renunciation of the previous citizenship. But, since this is a long process, the law considers it sufficient to provide a copy of the application with a request to renounce citizenship. Thus, some people find themselves holding two passports (of the Russian Federation and Belarus) at the same time.
What can be the reason for renouncing the citizenship of the Republic of Belarus
Most often, a change in civil status occurs due to the receipt of a residence permit or citizenship of another state. This decision is voluntary. But it also happens that the renunciation of Belarusian citizenship upon receipt of Russian or any other occurs due to circumstances prevailing over the candidate. One of them may be getting a position in the state apparatus, for example:
- in military service;
- in institutions of justice;
- in the police and security services;
- in other government agencies.
Sometimes parents can deprive a child of the opportunity to acquire Belarusian citizenship. According to the law, immediately after birth, a baby is recognized as a Belarusian if his father or mother is also a citizen of the Republic (even when they live abroad).
If the parents decide that the child should be a citizen of another state, they can apply to withdraw him from Belarusian status.
The procedure for a citizen of Belarus to obtain Russian citizenship considers withdrawal from the previous citizenship as a prerequisite.
How is the refusal procedure going?
Even before the start of the process, it should be borne in mind that minors can only withdraw from their citizenship with the consent of their parents. To do this, you will have to prepare a full package of documents for the child and accompany the papers with copies of parental passports.
The procedure for renouncing the citizenship of the Republic of Belarus is the same for everyone, including persons who have not yet reached the age of 18 and who are under guardianship:
- submission of documents;
- checking papers by government officials;
- consideration of the application;
- making a decision and sending a notification to the applicant
After the package of documents has been verified, the officers of the authorized service are obliged to inform the applicant about the consequences of renouncing the citizenship of the Republic of Belarus.
Where to apply
First, you should carefully study the legal acts that govern the upcoming procedure:
- Law of the Republic of Belarus No. 136-3 dated 01.08.2002 “On Citizenship of the Republic of Belarus”.
- Regulations on the procedure for considering cases related to the citizenship of the Republic of Belarus, approved by Presidential Decree No. 209 of November 17, 1994.
For those who are interested in how to renounce the citizenship of Belarus, it will be useful to read the Agreements between Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, which deal with the application of a simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship, dated 02.26.1999.
The agreement states that the institutions to which one can apply regarding the withdrawal from civil status are located both in Belarus itself and in the target states (we are talking about the diplomatic missions of the Republic).
The loss of Belarusian citizenship for those who have not yet left the territory of the Republic of Belarus occurs when they apply to the regional office of the Department of Citizenship and Migration in the city where the applicant lives. You can find a complete list of instances on the website of the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
It often happens that the applicant has already left the Republic. Do I have to go back to apply? No, there is no such need. You can renounce Belarusian citizenship in Russia at one of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Belarus located in the following cities (the regions that are in the competence of a particular embassy are indicated in brackets):
- Yekaterinburg (Kurgan, Tyumen, Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk regions and the Komi Republic);
- Kaliningrad (only Kaliningrad region);
- Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod, Tambov, Ivanovo, Penza, Vladimir, Ryazan, Kostroma regions and the Republic of Mordovia);
- The Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in Moscow deals only with persons residing in the Moscow region;
- Kazan (Ulyanovsk, Kirov, Saratov regions, Tatarstan, the Republic of Mari El and Chuvashia);
- Rostov-on-Don (Rostov, Astrakhan, Volgograd regions, Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Kalmykia, Adygea, North Ossetia-Alania, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Chechen, Karachay-Cherkess and Kabardino-Balkarian republics);
- Smolensk (Kursk, Smolensk, Bryansk, Voronezh, Tula, Tver, Belgorod, Lipetsk, Kaluga, Orel regions);
- Krasnoyarsk (the loss of Belarusian citizenship in this city is possible for those living in the Trans-Baikal and Krasnodar Territories, Buryat, Irkutsk, Tuva and Khakass regions);
- St. Petersburg (the city itself, Vologda, Novgorod, Pskov, Leningrad, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk regions and Karelia);
- Khabarovsk (Kamchatsky, Khabarovsk, Primorsky Krai, Sakhalin, Magadan and Amur regions, Yakutia, Jewish OA and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug);
- Novosibirsk (Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk regions, Altai Territory);
- Ufa (Orenburg, Samara regions, Bashkortostan, Udmurtia, Perm Territory).
Whether it is possible to renounce the citizenship of Belarus in one of the listed representative offices of Belarus will depend on whether the applicant has a permanent residence permit in his former homeland and whether he is registered with the consulate.
Preparation of documents
An appeal with a petition to withdraw from the Belarusian citizenship and with the given reasons must be written in the name of the president. All papers should be attached to the application that can verify the identity of the applicant and confirm the reasons for his decision.
The set is served in triplicate. It should include:
- The questionnaire of the established form. A sample application for renunciation of the citizenship of the Republic of Belarus can be found in the authorized department at the place of filing the application.
- Autobiography.
- Photos - 4 pieces measuring 3 by 4 cm.
- A copy of the Belarusian passport.
- Copies of documents that can confirm the applicant's citizenship in a foreign state or the intention to acquire it. In this capacity, a passport of another state, residence permit and others can act.
- Copy of birth certificate.
- A copy of the marriage or divorce document.
- Certificate to the conscript on consent to formalize permanent residence outside the Republic of Belarus and to withdraw from its citizenship.
- A receipt confirming the payment of the fee.
Additionally, they may ask for information about the fulfillment of obligations to their former homeland - tax payments, fines, utility bills, etc.
The procedure of how to renounce Belarusian citizenship to a child in 2021 looks even more bureaucratic. In this case, you will have to prepare an impressive package of documents:
- Copy of birth certificate.
- Passport of a minor citizen, if he stays at the age of 14-18 years.
- Copies of passport pages with full name, date and place of birth
- A document confirming the basis for leaving your country.
- Guarantee of obtaining civil status.
- The consent of the second parent, if the child leaves the citizenship with only one of them. If it is not possible to obtain such a document, it is necessary to prepare a paper that would substantiate the reason (for example, deprivation of the rights to a child, the status of a missing person, etc.).
Terms and cost of consideration
According to the legislation of the Republic, it may take no more than 6 months to consider an application. The exact term will depend on the completeness of the package of papers and the correctness of its submission. The more carefully all the requirements for documents are met, the sooner a decision on the application will be made.
Do not forget that the procedure is expensive. As of today, the fee is 250 euros. How much it costs to renounce Belarusian citizenship will depend on the exchange rate against the local currency on the day of the application. You can pay the fee through a bank branch.
Certificate confirming the lack of citizenship of the Republic of Belarus
Sometimes situations arise in which it is necessary to prove that a particular person is not a citizen of Belarus. This can be done using a special help. The Belarusian embassy is in charge of issuing such documents.
Alternatively, you can apply through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To do this, you need to prepare:
- Passport.
- Statement.
- Birth certificate.
- A document on marriage or divorce.
- Confirmation of civil status in another state.
The payment of the fee when a certificate of absence of Belarusian citizenship is requested is not provided.
What can be the reason for the refusal
The usual desire to stop being a citizen of Belarus is not a sufficient reason. It happens that a request is denied.
The main reasons for a negative answer:
- the applicant is accused of a crime or has already been sentenced;
- there are unfulfilled obligations - unpaid taxes, alimony, loans, etc.
- there is no other citizenship or prospects for obtaining it.
To apply for Russian citizenship, it is enough to simply confirm the fact of filing an application for renunciation of the previous citizenship. And since the answer may not come soon, during this time the applicant may already become a Russian.
Outcomes
You can stop being a citizen of the Republic of Belarus both voluntarily and due to various circumstances. The application is submitted to the Department of Citizenship and Migration in the Belarusian territory or to the consular department of the republic abroad. The package of documents must necessarily include confirmation of the possibility of legalization in another country. Parental consent will be required for the child during the procedure.
