On Wednesday, the State Duma of Russia approved a bill that reduces the minimum age for taking the mandatory oath of allegiance to obtain Russian citizenship from 18 to 14.
Introduced in 2017, the oath requires new citizens to demonstrate respect for the country’s culture, history, and traditions.
The revised law on citizenship stipulates that if an individual either refuses to take the oath or fails to do so within one year of the citizenship decision, the granting of citizenship will be nullified. Additionally, if an applicant passes away before taking the oath, their citizenship approval automatically becomes void.
Lawmakers in the Duma highlighted that lowering the age is intended to foster a “patriotic spirit” and ensure that future citizens are more consciously connected to their legal obligations.
The bill still needs to be passed by the Federation Council, the upper house, and then receive the signature of President Vladimir Putin.
