Russia’s Federal Tax Service asks Russians for information on dual citizenship and foreign residence permits

Russia’s Federal Tax Service (FNS) has begun asking Russian citizens for copies of documents confirming dual citizenship or residence permits in other countries, as well as statements from accounts in foreign banks, reports Vedomosti.

Donat Podniek, a partner in the tax and legal department of consulting firm Kept, said that requesting statements from foreign accounts is a longstanding and common practice. However, as Vedomosti notes, the FNS did not previously ask for foreign citizenship and residency information.

Podniek believes that the request for information on this is linked to “a more thorough examination of Russian citizens' compliance with foreign currency legislation.” He speculated that the FNS might be trying to identify undeclared foreign accounts.

After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, some countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Switzerland, Latvia, and Ukraine, have refused to exchange tax information with Russia.