Dual citizenship of Russia and Israel: how it works in practice

How each country views dual citizenship

I will start with the main point, as this often causes confusion. Israel and Russia hold diametrically opposite positions - but not in the sense that one prohibits and the other permits.

Israel openly permits dual citizenship. The Law of Return of 1950 grants the right to repatriation (aliyah) to every Jew and members of their family - and nowhere requires renouncing your previous passport. Israel takes a pragmatic approach: you can be a citizen of multiple states simultaneously.

Russia takes a different position: it does not recognize dual citizenship in principle. This does not mean it will punish you for having an Israeli passport - it simply will consider you exclusively its own citizen. All rights and obligations of Russian Federation citizenship apply to you in full, regardless of how many passports you have in your pocket.

This distinction is fundamental. You do not violate the law by having both passports. You simply live within two legal systems, each of which sees you in its own way.

Who is entitled to Israeli citizenship through aliyah

Before discussing dual citizenship, you need to understand who can obtain Israeli citizenship at all. The Law of Return grants the right to aliyah to:

• Jews - those with at least one Jewish grandparent on either side;
• Spouses of Jews;
• Children and grandchildren of Jews - even if they are not considered Jewish under Jewish religious law;
• Spouses of children and grandchildren of Jews.

Note: the Halakhic definition (Jewish through mother) and the definition under the Law of Return are different things. For aliyah, a Jewish grandparent on any line is sufficient. This is important to know if you have doubts about your entitlement.

Documents that confirm your right to aliyah: birth certificates (yours, your parents', grandparents'), marriage certificates, documents confirming Jewish origin - birth records, entries in Soviet passports, synagogue records. Apostille on Russian documents for Israel is mandatory.

I recommend gathering the maximum number of documents in advance. The cleaner your evidence base, the faster the process at the Jewish Agency (Sokhnut) will proceed.

Notification to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs: how, when, and why

This requirement appeared in 2014 - amendments to Federal Law No. 62-FZ "On Citizenship." Since then, every citizen of the Russian Federation who has obtained foreign citizenship or a residence permit is obligated to notify the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs of this.

The deadline is 60 days from the date of obtaining a foreign passport. If you permanently reside abroad - you must notify within 60 days after entering Russia.

How to do this:

• Submit the notification in person to the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (GUVM) at your place of registration or actual residence;
• Send by registered mail with notification - this is also a lawful method;
• Through "Gosuslug" with an advanced qualified signature.

Attach to the notification a copy of your foreign passport and a copy of your Russian passport. The notification form is standard and can be downloaded from the Ministry of Internal Affairs website.

To be, many of my clients are nervous about this notification. But this is an administrative procedure, not a permitting one. You are not asking for permission—you are informing. The penalty for missing the deadline is a fine of 200 to 500 rubles. Criminal liability is provided only for concealment with special intent, which in practice is almost never applied to ordinary citizens.

How to cross borders with two passports

This is perhaps the most practical question. The answer is simple: each passport to its own country.

You enter and exit Russia using your Russian passport. This is mandatory: Russian border guards are not obliged to recognize your foreign passport, and if you attempt to enter using your Israeli passport, questions will arise about violation of your residence status.

You travel to Israel using your Israeli passport. After obtaining repat status, Israeli authorities expect you to use it.

Here is how it works in practice: you buy a ticket and depart Russia using your Russian passport. When boarding the plane in Israel, you present your Israeli passport. For third countries, you can travel with either passport—check visa-free regimes. The Israeli passport grants visa-free access to 163 countries, including all of Schengen, the USA, and the United Kingdom. The Russian passport currently has significantly limited options.

In my practice, there was a situation where a client got confused and presented his Israeli passport when exiting Russia. The problem was resolved, but it cost him considerable stress. Keep your passports in separate compartments of your bag and clearly remember: which passport for which country.

The IDF: Military service for returnees

Military service is one of those aspects that many underestimate and later are surprised by. Israel is a state with mandatory military service. For most returnees, this applies directly.

Men under 45 years of age must register with the IDF upon repatriation and undergo a draft commission review. Actual service depends on age: under 26—standard 32 months (for men), ages 27 to 45—typically a shortened course or assignment to reserves.

Women under 26 also undergo draft commission review, with standard service of 24 months. After age 26, repatriation usually results in exemption.

There are exemptions: on health grounds, on religious grounds (Haredim), or if you have children. Each case is considered individually at the draft commission (tzav rishon).

Now an important point for those with two passports: your Russian military obligations do not disappear. Russia sees you as its citizen, and military registration under Russian law is maintained. Two states, two systems—each has its own requirements. This must be considered when planning your life.

Taxes: 10-year tax incentive for new repatriates

Israel offers one of the most generous tax incentives in the world for new repatriates. This is enshrined in Israel's Tax Code and has been in effect for many years.

The essence of the incentive: for 10 years from obtaining repat status, your income from foreign sources (that is, everything you earn outside Israel) is not subject to Israeli tax. Dividends from Russian companies, income from overseas real estate, foreign pensions—all remain free from Israeli taxation for 10 years.

What this means in practice: if you maintain a business in Russia or receive income from other foreign sources, for the first 10 years you pay taxes only in the country where the income arose (that is, in Russia or another source country), but not additionally to Israel.

However, an important clarification: Russia considers you a tax resident if you spend more than 183 days there per year. If you have moved to Israel and live there, you will lose Russian tax residency after a year or two. Then taxes on Russian-source income are paid at the non-resident rate—30% instead of 13% PIT.

This is a complex area, and I strongly recommend consulting with a tax specialist who specifically works with Russian-Israeli situations. The math for each case is different.

The Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation between the RF and Israel

An Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation between Russia and Israel has been in effect since 1994. It determines which country has the right to tax particular types of income.

Key principles: dividends, interest, and royalties are typically taxed in the source country with a credit available in the country of residence. Income from employment is taxed where you actually work.

The agreement protects against situations where both states simultaneously want to tax the same income. But it does not exempt you from taxes entirely—it allocates which party has priority rights. This is precisely why the 10-year repatriate tax incentive is so valuable: it eliminates Israeli taxation of foreign-source income during this period, and the agreement simply does not apply in this respect.

Banking and finance with dual citizenship

A practical question that everyone faces: how do you work with banks having two passports?

In Israel, a bank account is opened using an Israeli identity card (teudot zeut). The absence of credit history initially is normal; banks understand this regarding new repatriates. Major Israeli banks—Hapoalim, Leumi, Mizrahi-Tefahot, Discount—all work with repatriates.

It is more complicated with Russian banks. Since 2022, the Russian banking system has become significantly more isolated. Transfers between Russian and Israeli accounts are complicated due to sanctions and SWIFT restrictions. This does not mean it is impossible—but it requires finding working schemes through third countries or money transfer systems.

CRS (Common Reporting Standard)—a system of automatic exchange of tax information. Israel participates in it. Russia formally does as well, but in practice, information exchange between the two countries is currently significantly hampered. Nevertheless, this is something that needs to be monitored.

Real estate in Russia with Israeli citizenship

Russian legislation does not restrict the right of RF citizens to own real estate in Russia, regardless of holding second citizenship. You can continue to buy, sell, and rent out Russian real estate.

An important nuance emerged in 2022: for citizens of "unfriendly" states, restrictions were introduced on certain transactions involving Russian assets. Israel is not included on Russia's list of unfriendly states, so there are no additional restrictions on this basis.

However, if you have become a Russian tax non-resident, the PIT rate when selling real estate for you is 30%, not 13%. The minimum holding period for tax exemption (3 or 5 years) does not apply to non-residents. This is one reason why the question of tax residency needs to be planned in advance rather than sorted out later.

Can Russia deprive you of citizenship

This question is asked by almost all my clients. The short answer is no, not for simply having a second citizenship. The Russian Constitution (Article 6) directly prohibits depriving a citizen of Russian citizenship. This is a constitutional guarantee, not merely a legal norm. Acquiring another citizenship is not grounds for loss of Russian citizenship.

Deprivation of citizenship is possible in only one case: if it was obtained unlawfully (that is, based on forged documents or false information). This is enshrined in the 2023 amendments. In the case where you obtained Israeli citizenship through aliya by right—there are no grounds for deprivation.

I have seen cases where people deliberately delayed submitting notification to the Ministry of Interior out of fear. This is incorrect tactics—the fine is small, and failure to meet the deadline creates unnecessary risk of claims. It is better to notify on time and sleep peacefully.

Should you renounce Russian citizenship

Sometimes I am asked from the other side: would it not be simpler to renounce Russian citizenship to avoid this dual situation?

This is a purely personal decision, and I will not provide universal advice. But I will say several things worth considering.

Renouncing Russian citizenship is an irreversible procedure. Getting it back is extremely difficult. If you have children, relatives in Russia, real estate, or a business—loss of citizenship significantly complicates interaction with the Russian system.

On the other hand, some choose to renounce for reasons of principle or to simplify life. Israel does not require this decision from you. The Russian side does not force it either—it simply wants to be notified.

My advice: do not make this decision in haste. First, live with both passports, see how life unfolds, and then—with a clear head—decide whether you need your Russian passport going forward.

Costs of obtaining Israeli citizenship

Israeli citizenship through aliya is one of the few where costs are minimal. The state itself is interested in repatriates and subsidizes the process.

State fee for document processing: several dozen dollars.

• Services from Sokhnut (the Jewish Agency): free.
• Sokhnut (Jewish Agency) services are free.
• Apostille of Russian documents: 2,500–3,500 rubles per document at the notary's office + notarial translation into Hebrew or English - approximately 800–1,500 rubles per page.
• Israeli embassy consular fee: approximately $15–30 depending on the document.
• Additional expenses in complex cases (search for archival documents, work with Jewish communities): variable.
• Flight for aliyah: the Jewish Agency partially subsidizes the first entry.

If your case is non-standard - there are no direct documents proving Jewish descent, you need to restore archival records, there are difficulties with evidence - it is reasonable to hire a lawyer. In such situations, saving money on a specialist often costs more in the end.

Verification and documents: what you need to collect.

The repatriation process begins with documents. Let us go through the main checklist.

Basic document package for aliyah through the Jewish Agency:

• Passport and internal Russian Federation passport.
• Birth certificates for you and your children (if traveling with you).
• Documents confirming Jewish descent: birth certificate of a parent (or grandparent) listing nationality, or an entry in a Soviet passport.
• Marriage/divorce certificate (if applicable).
• Educational documents - required for diploma recognition in Israel.
• Certificate of no criminal record (with apostille).

All documents are translated into Hebrew or English and notarially certified. Russian official documents require an apostille from the Ministry of Justice.

If documents proving Jewish descent are lost, destroyed, or never existed in standard form - do not despair. Alternative evidence exists: metric books, synagogue archives, census materials. I have worked with such cases, and most of them were resolved - they simply required time and archival research.

Real life with two passports: what practice shows.

Over 12 years of practice, I see different scenarios. I will share several observations without unnecessary rhetoric.

Most people with Russian-Israeli dual citizenship live quite comfortably. Two passports create not problems, but opportunities: Israeli citizenship opens 163 countries without a visa, Russian citizenship preserves access to the Russian legal framework.

Real difficulties arise at three points. First - military service in the IDF for young men who did not expect it or did not plan for it. Second - taxes: when the exemption ends after 10 years, you need to understand where you are a tax resident and how your income is structured. Third - bank transfers between countries in the current geopolitical situation.

I will be : I advise clients not to wait for the perfect moment and not to postpone aliyah "until better times." The right to Israeli citizenship is a right enshrined in law. You can exercise it at any time. And it is always better to collect documents in advance, while relatives who can confirm your descent are alive and while archives are accessible.

Frequently asked questions.