LostRussian

It's a very complicated story of how all of my documents were stolen/"lost" and I don't want to go into it.
The only documents I have right now are my US Driver's license and social security card. I am a dual citizen of Russia and US. How I became a US citizen is when I was a kid, one of my parents became naturalized, so I guess I did too. I will be going to an appointment soon in order to restore my naturalization certificate so that later I can use that as proof of citizenship to restore my US passport.

The problem is my Russian documents. I have none of them, they are all stolen/lost. I live in the US right now and went to a Russian embassy and filled out a form so they can "research citizenship" to see if they can find me anywhere in the system. This was a few months ago. I haven't heard back from them still.
I am really angry. Am I doomed? Will I never see Russia again? I freaking love my country and I cry because I do not have access to it anymore. How long do you think the embassy will take to get back to me? 5 years? 10 years?

Now, I am thinking once I restore my US passport to just get a US visa to travel to Russia with my US passport. However, I AM A FREAKING CITIZEN OF RUSSIA! I don't think I am technically "allowed" to travel to Russia on a US passport visa. But I don't have access to my Russian documents!!!!!! So what am I to do?! I love Russia. Am I absolutely doomed in the most horrible way ever to never see my home country ever again? Sorry if I am so dramatic, but it is really that emotionally draining of me.

Xyzzy

I wouldn't panic. I'd call the embassy back and ask what the status of your request was. I think you'll either have to get a Russian passport (or renounce your Russian citizenship which you clearly don't want to do) in order to travel there. I'd imagine it will take a few months but it should not be impossible to straighten this ut.

Temedar

Contact the embassy again. Submit another request if needed.
Technically a Russian citizen cannot be refused entry into Russia even if he doesn't have proper documents (=a Russian zagranpasport - travel passport), but it will a PITA and you'll have to enter via a land crossing (no airline will allow you to board w/the documents you have right now).

LostRussian

So, good news just happened! Right after I wrote this post yesterday I actually MIRACULOUSLY found a copy of my zagran passport saved in my gmail account from a loong time ago!! I was literally the happiest person on Earth when that happened. I will be going to the embassy again to submit another request, and now that I have a copy, hopefully I can restore all my documents! Finally I have a chance to go to Russia again. It is quite a weird coincidence that I found that copy just yesterday. I didn't even know I had one.

König

No need for all this drama because many Russian citizens lose their documents (or have them stolen) while abroad and yet are able to return to their home country. If all is lost, at the very least the Russian embassy will issue a so-called "repatriation travel document" (справка на возвращение) which is used to get back to Russia. The only caveat with this option is that once you return to Russia, you will have to get a new passport before you can go back to the USA.

Oh, and I hope you have informed (will inform) the FMS about your US citizenship because it is now a requirement

:D!

This thread reminds me that I haven't taken a scan/photocopy of my newest British passport.

I carry copies of all my documents with me and can access them from any computer with a working internet connection.

TObject

There is no dual citizenship agreement between the United States of America and Russian Federation; one cannot be “a dual citizen of Russia and US.”

There is no such thing as “US Driver's license.”

But, if you are for real, then good luck to you; and do not go to the embassy (unless you mean the Consular Section of the Russian Embassy), go to the Russian consulate that services your territory.

Hope this helps.

STBCypriot

I hope that you are aware that Russian bureaucracy is vast, inefficient, and extremely slow. Do not expect speed in your situation. And doublecheck all documents when you get them - mistskes are often made.

LostRussian

Ummmmm. Yes I am for real. And no, Russian citizens do not have to renounce their citizenship to be american citizens. There is no such law... The Us drivers license is an id card which is also a drivers license, and since pretty much most americans have one, it is a "real" document. I meant that I went to the consulate. But they still haven't replied to me. I really need a Russian passport, but don't knoe how long this whole "citizenship check" thing will take.

Mizter T

Er, says who?

There's no need for two countries to have a "dual citizenship agreement" in order for people to be dual citizens.

Out of my Element

Again, there is no "US Drivers License", each state issues licenses to drive, not the country, so if you have some sort of US National ID, it does not afford you the privilege to drive.

TObject

Article 62 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and Russian Federal Law 31.05.2002 N 62-FЗ, article 6.

I hope this helps.

Palal

Multiple citizenship is not the same as dual citizenship. You can have a Russian and a US citizenship, but for the US, you're an American and the government doesn't care about your other citizenships. Russia also doesn't acknowledge you as a dual citizen if there's no agreement between Russia and another country

:D!

That isn't the point Mizter T was making. Russia does not need to have a treaty with the USA in order for someone to be a citizen of both countries.

Neither does the OP want Russia to recognize his US citizenship. He wants to be recognized as a Russian citizen.

Russia does have some citizenship treaties with former Soviet states, but I'm not sure what practical effects these have.

The only situations I'm familiar with are that both British and New Zealand citizens may have evidence of their citizenship affixed to a foreign passport, but these are unilateral concessions from the UK and NZ governments.

TObject

The term “dual citizen” has specific meaning as far as Russian law is concerned. Do not walk in to a Russian consulate and clam to be a dual citizen when you are not; confusion may result.