Can a US citizen join the Russian army?

Originally Answered: As an American, can I join the Russian military? Yes, you can. If you speak Russian and fit certain parameters (young age, proper physical and mental development, good health, etc), you can sign a three-year contract with the Russian army as a soldier or a sailor.

Is Russian conscription mandatory?

Military service is compulsory in Russia for males 18 to 27 years of age (AI Apr. 1995, 18). In the 1980s, the length of military service was reduced from two years to eighteen months, but legislative changes in 1995 increased it again to two years (Reuters 30 Apr. 1995).

Can you have triple citizenship in Russia?

Russian law neither provides for the possession of dual citizenship nor recognizes the foreign citizenship of its nationals. (Law on Citizenship art. Under this law, all individuals are treated as Russian citizens regardless of whether they have citizenship of a foreign country.

Can you be a US and Russian citizen?

U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship.

Can you serve in the military with dual citizenship?

The US government and by extension the US military does not officially recognize dual citizenship. Before you can take the oath of office you must prove you are a citizen of the United States. There IS no such thing as dual citizenship in the armed forces as a commissioned officer.

Can a person with dual citizenship join the US military?

Current US policy goes further. Further, the current policy statement on foreign military service recognizes that dual citizens sometimes find themselves legally obligated to participate in the military forces of their other country of citizenship, and can do so in such situations without endangering their US status.

Is the Russian army conscripted?

While military service is mandatory in Russia, with more than 250,000 men between the ages of 18 and 27 conscripted each year, many Russians get out of it through medical or educational exemptions. Some also simply ignore the summons or pay bribes.

Does Russia have military conscription?

The Russian Federation has had a conscription army since 1918. In recent years, approximately 400,000 young men between the ages of eighteen and twenty-seven are drafted each year to serve in the regular army, the Ministry of Internal Affairs forces, border troops, and other branches of Russia’s vast armed forces.

Can Americans hold dual citizenship?

The US allows dual citizenship for its citizens. This means that you can hold your US passport and be a citizen in another country at the same time. In such a scenario, you will be a citizen of two countries and share the same rights and responsibilities with other citizens in each country.

Can I be drafted into the Russian military with a second citizenship?

A second citizenship does not prevent you from being drafted in Russia unless you’ve already served in the UK military. There are, however, multiple other exemptions, such as: Being younger than 18 or older than 27. Being physically or psychologically unfit for the military service.

Can I join the Russian military if I live outside Russia?

References: rg.ru, pravoved.ru. Indeed, if you are “permanently residing outside the Russian Federation” you are exempt from military registration (“воинский учёт”), hence, a fortiori, from military service.

How do I renounce my US citizenship in Russia?

Information on losing foreign citizenship can be obtained from the foreign country’s embassy and consulates in the United States. Americans can renounce U.S. citizenship in the proper form at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. Persons in Russia are subject to Russian laws and procedures.

Can a US citizen travel to Russia with a Russian passport?

Persons who are citizens of both the United States and Russia should be aware that, while U.S. immigration law requires Americans to use U.S. passports when entering or leaving the United States, Russian law likewise requires Russian citizens to use Russian passports to enter and depart Russia.