Options for Russia Nationals
Russian nationals face unprecedented restrictions in international banking, travel, and citizenship programs following the 2022 geopolitical events, making a second passport more valuable—yet more difficult to obtain—than at any previous point. A handful of programs in Turkey, the UAE, and select Pacific jurisdictions remain open, though enhanced due diligence requirements apply universally.
Your Passport
Passport Rank
#48
Visa-Free
119
destinations
restricted
residence based
Key Considerations for Russia Nationals
- 01Russia requires citizens to notify authorities of any foreign citizenship or permanent residence permit within 60 days; failure to notify is a criminal offense under 2014 legislation.
- 02Post-2022 Western sanctions have severely restricted Russian nationals' access to international banking, payment systems, and financial services in the EU, UK, US, and many other jurisdictions.
- 03EU and UK visa restrictions introduced after February 2022 have significantly reduced the practical visa-free footprint of the Russian passport for travel to Western destinations.
- 04Many citizenship-by-investment programs suspended or significantly restricted applications from Russian nationals following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
- 05Cryptocurrency and alternative payment rails have been used by some Russian nationals to fund international investments and CBI applications, though regulatory risk is high.
- 06Russian tax residency rules are based on physical presence (183 days); individuals who have relocated abroad and broken residency may face reduced Russian tax obligations.
Program Restrictions
malta-citizenship: Malta suspended its citizenship program for Russian and Belarusian nationals in March 2022 in response to EU guidance.
st-kitts-citizenship: St Kitts and Nevis suspended processing of applications from Russian and Belarusian nationals following international pressure in 2022.
general: Most Caribbean and European CBI programs have suspended or severely restricted applications from Russian nationals; a small number of programs in Turkey, Vanuatu, and selected others remain accessible.
Visa Programs Available to You
68 programsPortugal D7 Passive Income Visa
Portugal PRT
Processing
2mo
Min. Income
$820
Citizenship
5y
Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa
Portugal PRT
Processing
2mo
Min. Income
$3,280
Citizenship
5y
Portugal Golden Visa (ARI)
Portugal PRT
Processing
6mo
Min. Income
—
Citizenship
5y
Spain Non-Lucrative Visa
Spain ESP
Processing
3mo
Min. Income
$2,800
Citizenship
10y
Spain Digital Nomad Visa
Spain ESP
Processing
3mo
Min. Income
$2,800
Citizenship
10y
Italy Elective Residence Visa
Italy ITA
Processing
3mo
Min. Income
$33,000
Citizenship
10y
Greece Golden Visa
Greece GRC
Processing
4mo
Min. Income
—
Citizenship
7y
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)
Malta MLT
Processing
6mo
Min. Income
—
Citizenship
No
Ancestry / Descent Options
Based on common ancestry patterns for Russia nationals.
German Citizenship by Descent (§ 4 StAG / Restoration under Art. 116 GG)
Germany
Est. Cost
$500– $8,000
Processing
6–24mo
Polish Citizenship by Descent (Confirmation of Polish Citizenship)
Poland
Est. Cost
$1,000– $8,000
Processing
6–24mo
Lithuanian Citizenship by Descent (Restoration of Citizenship)
Lithuania
Est. Cost
$500– $5,000
Processing
6–24mo
Banking That Accepts Your Passport
8 optionsN26
digital bank
1 currencies
Free
Chase UK
digital bank
1 currencies
Free
HSBC Expat
traditional bank
19 currencies
$35/mo
Interactive Brokers
brokerage
23 currencies
Free
Charles Schwab International
brokerage
1 currencies
Free
Standard Chartered
traditional bank
12 currencies
$10/mo
DBS Bank Singapore
traditional bank
13 currencies
$7/mo
Emirates NBD
traditional bank
6 currencies
Free
Company Formation Jurisdictions
12 jurisdictionsUK Private Limited Company (Ltd)
Setup: $50
25% (19% for profits under GBP 50,000; marginal relief between GBP 50,000–250,000)
Banking: moderate
US Delaware LLC
Setup: $200
0% at state level (no Delaware state income tax on out-of-state activity); federal tax depends on election (pass-through by default or C-Corp election)
Banking: moderate
US Wyoming LLC
Setup: $100
0% at state level (no Wyoming state income tax); federal tax depends on entity election
Banking: moderate
Estonia OÜ (Private Limited Company)
Setup: $265
0% on retained earnings; 20% on distributed profits (unique deferred distribution tax model)
Banking: difficult
Dubai DMCC Free Zone Company
Setup: $8,500
9% UAE Corporate Tax (effective June 2023) on taxable profits over AED 375,000; 0% for Qualifying Free Zone Persons meeting substance requirements
Banking: moderate
Dubai IFZA Free Zone Company
Setup: $5,500
9% UAE Corporate Tax on profits over AED 375,000; 0% for Qualifying Free Zone Persons on qualifying income
Banking: moderate
Singapore Private Limited Company (Pte Ltd)
Setup: $400
17% headline rate; effective rate often 8–10% due to startup tax exemptions (75% exemption on first SGD 100,000 for first 3 years)
Banking: moderate
Hong Kong Private Limited Company
Setup: $500
16.5% standard; 8.25% on first HKD 2 million of assessable profits (two-tiered regime)
Banking: difficult
BVI Business Company (BC)
Setup: $2,000
0% (no corporate income tax, capital gains tax, or withholding tax)
Banking: difficult
Cayman Islands LLC
Setup: $3,500
0% (no corporate tax, income tax, capital gains tax, or withholding tax; 20-year tax exemption certificate available)
Banking: difficult
Portugal Lda (Sociedade por Quotas)
Setup: $1,200
21% standard IRC; 17% on first EUR 25,000 for SMEs; municipal surcharge up to 1.5%; RFAI and other incentives available
Banking: moderate
Georgia Individual Entrepreneur (IE) with Virtual Zone
Setup: $50
1% on turnover up to GEL 500,000/year (Small Business Status); 0% on IT/software exports for Virtual Zone Person status; standard rate 15% corporate + 5% dividend withholding
Banking: easy
Citizenship by Investment
10 programsMalta Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment
Malta
From
$690,000
Processing
14mo
Visa-Free
186
Due Diligence
extensive
St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment
St Kitts and Nevis
From
$250,000
Processing
6mo
Visa-Free
157
Due Diligence
enhanced
Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment
Dominica
From
$100,000
Processing
5mo
Visa-Free
144
Due Diligence
enhanced
Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment
Antigua and Barbuda
From
$130,000
Processing
6mo
Visa-Free
151
Due Diligence
enhanced
Grenada Citizenship by Investment
Grenada
From
$150,000
Processing
6mo
Visa-Free
148
Due Diligence
enhanced
St Lucia Citizenship by Investment
St Lucia
From
$100,000
Processing
5mo
Visa-Free
146
Due Diligence
enhanced
Turkish Citizenship by Investment
Turkey
From
$400,000
Processing
4mo
Visa-Free
110
Due Diligence
standard
Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment (DSP / VDSP)
Vanuatu
From
$130,000
Processing
2mo
Visa-Free
113
Due Diligence
standard
Egyptian Citizenship by Investment
Egypt
From
$300,000
Processing
6mo
Visa-Free
53
Due Diligence
standard
Jordanian Citizenship by Investment
Jordan
From
$750,000
Processing
9mo
Visa-Free
57
Due Diligence
enhanced