Russian leader signs law targeting sham marriages with foreigners

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law aimed at combating sham marriages with foreigners.

The text of the legislative act has been published on the legal information website, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.

According to the new law, foreigners will be able to obtain a simplified permit for temporary residence in Russia only after three years of marriage to a Russian citizen.

The law is set to take effect in January 2025. The document was approved by the State Duma (one of the chambers of the Russian parliament) on October 15 and endorsed by the Federation Council (upper chamber of the Federal Assembly, the Russian parliament) on October 23.

The authors of the initiative noted that foreigners have frequently used sham marriages as a means to obtain migration status. 

In early October, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly Vyacheslav Volodin urged against involving Russian pensioners in inappropriate relationships with migrants. He emphasised that Russia should put an end to the practice of sham marriages with foreign citizens.

By Naila Huseynova