Legation of
the United States,
St.
Petersburg, March 17, 1887.
(Received April 4.)
No. 103.]
[Inclosure in No. 103.—Proposed
modification of the Russian law relative to naturalization, From the
Journal de St. Petersburg, March 17,
1887.—Translation.]
The Gazette de St. Petersburg (in the Russian language) publishes the
substance of the project drawn up by the minister of justice of a new
law relating to Russian citizenship, its acquisition and its loss.
The legislation in force on the naturalization of foreigners dates from
February 10, 1864. At its origin it accorded in its general principles
with the stipulations contained in the codes of the states of western
Europe. The modifications introduced during these last twenty years
having destroyed this harmony, it becomes urgent to keep pace in this
respect also with the movements of the day. Unfortunately our brother
does not enlarge upon the nature of the modifications about to be
introduced into the law relating to the naturalization of
foreigners.
Concerning the acquisition of citizenship in another state by a Russian
subject the Gazette is more explicit, until now, excepting article 325
of the penal code, and article 3 of the regulations on obligatory
military service, we have no clearly defined stipulation. The new law
will fill this void. It is thought to be no longer possible to have
recourse to force to prevent Russian subjects from abandoning their
nationality, but only, be it well understood, in cases when the
naturalization abroad is real and not fictitious. The important point is
to expose subterfuges, by which the duties incumbent upon every citizen
are sought to be evaded. As a general rule, the passage of a Russian
subject to a foreign nationality will be allowed in every case when this
change shall not violate the existing obligations towards Russia.
Former Russian subjects naturalized in foreign countries shall, in case
of their return, be considered as foreigners during one year at the
maximum. At the expiration of this period they shall be considered as
reintegrated eo ipso into Russian citizenship.
Russian subjects who shall be recalled by the Government and who do not
return within the time prescribed, shall be, on their return later,
liable to confinement in a fortress for a time varying from four weeks
to a year. A severe punishment shall be inflicted also upon Russian
subjects who, to escape military service, shall have gone abroad. On
their return into the Empire they shall undergo, if the crime has been
committed in time of peace, confinement in a house of detention for the
period of from six months to a year and a half, while if their departure
has taken place in time of war they may be condemned to the loss of
civil rights and to exile to the provinces far from European Russia,
with confinement in a work-house, conformably to the stipulations of
paragraph 1 of article 33 of the penal code.
