Blog · 2026-08-03

Leaving Russia in 2026: what has tightened and what it now costs

Fees have risen many times over, reporting on foreign accounts has tightened, and a registry of controlled persons is in place. Here are the facts of what changed this year - and which legal routes remain open.

Through 2026 the rules for those leaving Russia, or already living abroad, changed several times - almost always in the direction of tightening. Below is a dry summary of what changed, without editorialising or forecasts. You can draw your own conclusions; our job is to make sure the decision rests on numbers rather than on chat-group hearsay.

Fees have risen many times over

On 10 June 2026 the State Duma passed amendments to the Tax Code that sharply increased migration-related fees. The stated purpose was to raise federal budget revenue.

One telling example: the state fee for acquiring Russian citizenship rose from 4,200 to 50,000 roubles - almost twelvefold. The increase covered not only acquiring citizenship but also renouncing it, along with charges tied to entry and exit. Exact amounts should be checked at the time of filing: tariffs were revised more than once during the year.

The procedure itself also tightened: applicants must now demonstrate knowledge not only of Russian but of the country's history and the basics of its legislation. Those holding multiple citizenships are required to produce certificates from every state whose nationality they hold.

Digital control: the registry of controlled persons

Since February 2025 the Interior Ministry has maintained a registry of controlled persons. Being listed restricts everyday basics: driving, opening a bank account, registering a business, and changing your place of residence without approval.

The registry primarily concerns foreigners staying in Russia without legal grounds - but the mechanism itself is indicative. You can check your own status on the ministry's website or through the Gosuslugi portal using your surname, date of birth and document number. In September 2025 the president approved the Migration Policy Concept for 2026-2030, setting the framework for the next five years.

Tax: what someone who has left actually pays

The pivotal question is tax residency. It is determined not by citizenship or registration but by physical presence: 183 days within any 12 consecutive months.

• Income from a Russian employer. Non-residents are taxed at 13-22% depending on the amount - the rule that levelled remote workers with residents has been in force for some years now.
• Selling cryptocurrency through a Russian exchange. A non-resident pays 30% income tax - one of the most painful rates for anyone holding assets in crypto.
• Self-employment. The professional income regime is available to Russian citizens regardless of residency: someone who has left can remain self-employed and, for instance, legally rent out a flat.

One thing to be clear about: losing Russian tax residency does not mean the end of taxes. It means you become a tax resident somewhere else - and that country's system then applies. Which is precisely why a destination is chosen on its tax regime, not on its photographs.

Reporting on foreign accounts

If you hold an account abroad that the tax authority knows about, expect a request for a statement of account movements for 2025 - such requests began after 1 June 2026.

This is the part people most often forget: the duty to notify the opening of a foreign account and to file movement reports rests with the individual, not the bank. Deadlines and penalties should be checked against your own circumstances - here the cost of a mistake is measured as a percentage of the transactions.

What this means in practice

• Anything involving a change of status is getting more expensive. If a procedure is on your horizon, price it at the moment of filing rather than from last year's tables.
• Control is becoming digital and comprehensive. Registries, state portals and inter-agency data exchange mean the "leave and forget" scenario no longer works.
• Tax status has to be designed in advance. Counting the 183 days and choosing a country belongs before the move: residency cannot be replayed retroactively.
• A second document is insurance, not luxury. It does not cancel obligations to your first country, but it removes dependence on a single jurisdiction for entry, banking and business.

Where you can realistically go: routes and timelines

Below are the destinations we work with, grouped by what a person has to start from. A fuller comparison is in our guide on where to move from Russia in 2026.

Two more worth naming: Kyrgyzstan, one of the shortest routes to a second passport for those born in the USSR, and Turkey, whose investment citizenship opens access to the US E-2 visa.

Our services

We run the whole path: from choosing the country that fits your situation to the finished document and a tax structure on the ground.

Plus the formalities where people get stuck most: a local identification and tax number, address registration, the residence card, a bank account, and translation and legalisation of documents. The full programme catalogue is on the all citizenships page, and our world city guides are here.

FAQ