The first Russian citizenship application office for Lugansk residents has already opened in Rostov Oblast, as close to the border as possible, in the town of Novoshakhtinsk. For now, it's operating in a trial mode. A similar office for the residents of Donetsk will be opened in an area closer to them. How will the whole process be arranged?
Veronika Bogma found out in person.
Alexandr Savrasov, Migration Service: "In this room, we process fingerprints. In these 2 rooms, we process documents and work with databases".
A new office of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship is operating in a trial mode. But they have already received the first applications for Russian citizenship from the residents of the Lugansk People's Republic.
“An officer is checking if the document package is complete and filled in correctly. Then we add a mark to the registry that the document package was accepted".
The list of documents has become shorter. Interim stages have been excluded from the procedures: obligatory long-term residency on Russian territory, a residence permit, a temporary residence permit, and so on. You can apply for the international passport right away, too. The application process is also much faster. It used to be over 6 months, now, it's no longer than 3 months.
Inna Lugovskaya, LPR Migration Service: "First of all, it's law enforcement officers, members of the people's militia, and government workers who are being persecuted by Ukraine for their work. In addition, young people want it, naturally.”
The first stage is filling out an application, paying the state duty, and providing a photo and copies: all of it is done at the place of residency, people don't need to go to Russia and cross the border for that. Officially authorized officers will do it instead of them.
Leonid Pasechnik, Head of LPR: "With my own eyes, I saw lines of people waiting at the offices where they issue Russian passports. Likewise, the lines to receive Lugansk People's Republic passports have increased by many times. Those passports also make a person eligible for receiving a Russian Federation passport".
Hundreds of people have already applied to the migration services of the people's republics, even though it hasn't been a week since the Russian president's executive order.
Olga German, Lugansk resident: "We hope that our authorities will work well, promptly, and productively. We hope they streamline this process".
Across the checkpoint on the border, the distance between Lugansk and Novoshakhtinsk is a little over 60 miles. It's much closer than the distance to the oblast center, Rostov-on-Don. In case of an affirmative answer, the citizens will need to come to get the passports personally.
In this room, they're accepting documents now. The flag and the coat of arms of the Russian Federation are here for a reason. This is where the new citizens will pledge their allegiance. Also, almost everything is ready for the processing of applications from the Donetsk People's Republic.
Denis Pushilin, Head of the DPR: "The processing of applications will begin at the headquarter of the Migration Service. And, starting on the 7th of May, consultants will be available in all the 30 offices of the Migration Service".
New passports will also be handed out to the citizens of the DPR in Rostov Oblast, where an office of the Migration Service opens in the Neklinovsky District tomorrow.
Veronika Bogma, Eduard Ilyin, Vladimir Shimakov, Ekaterina Bobkova, Alexandr Kazachenko, Vesti, Rostov Oblast.
