Kathrine Frich
A small group of people found themselves stuck between two countries, unable to fully belong to either.
What began as a routine legal process turned into a prolonged bureaucratic dead end.
Now, Serbian authorities appear to be reversing course.
Years in limbo
Serbia has begun granting citizenship and issuing passports to Russians who had previously renounced their original nationality, according to The Moscow Times cited by United24Media.
These individuals had been left in a legal gray zone after giving up their Russian passports but not receiving final Serbian documents.
The situation affected several dozen applicants whose naturalization process stalled for years.
Process breakdown
Under Serbian rules, applicants must first receive preliminary approval before renouncing their existing citizenship.
Only after submitting proof of renunciation are they supposed to receive final confirmation, allowing them to obtain official ID and passports.
However, authorities delayed issuing final documents in a number of cases, citing the need for additional checks.
Stateless status
As a result, some applicants became effectively stateless, with no valid passport and limited legal recognition.
Their only identification remained a residency card that still listed them as Russian citizens, despite their formal renunciation.
According to those affected, the situation persisted for several years.
Sudden shift
Applicants say the process began moving again earlier this month.
Police reportedly contacted individuals regarding their pending cases, and confirmations of Serbian citizenship have since been issued.
With approval granted, they are now able to apply for passports through local authorities.
Parallel track
At the same time, Serbia has continued granting citizenship under a separate fast-track system “in the interests of the republic.”
This route does not require applicants to give up their original nationality.
According to The Moscow Times, dozens of Russians, including individuals linked to political, military and security structures, obtained Serbian citizenship through this process between 2022 and early 2025.
These passports allow visa-free travel to the European Union and around 100 other countries, provided recipients are not under international sanctions.
Sources: The Moscow Times, United24media.
