ROSTOV-ON-DON. April 30 (Interfax) - All territorial offices of the migration service of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) will start accepting applications for Russian citizenship from May 7, DPR migration service deputy director Vladimir Medvedok told reporters.
"Only one office in the republic's territory is accepting such applications at this point. But from May 7, in accordance with the decree issued by the republic's head, all territorial offices of the migration service will begin providing consultations and accepting documents to obtain Russian citizenship in line with the simplified procedure," Medvedok said.
Two centers issuing fast-tracked Russian passports have been put on a trial run in Novoshakhtinsk (for residents of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic) and in the village of Pokrovskoye of the Neklinovsky district (for DPR residents). The center in Novoshakhtinsk received 80 applications for Russian citizenship on its first day of working. Public opinion survey results show that 86% of LPR and DPR residents want to receive a Russian passport.
Applicants must submit a citizenship application form, a properly notarized ID document, a name-change certificate (if applicable), a receipt certifying payment of the state duty, and photographs. Applications are to be processed within up to three months.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the Executive Order "On Identifying Groups of Persons Entitled to a Fast-Track Procedure when Applying for Russian Citizenship on Humanitarian Grounds" on April 24 to allow simplified naturalization of residents of certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.