
The Soviet Loophole That Gave 7,000 Russians New Citizenship
A forgotten relic of Soviet governance created a loophole that Russians utilized once the CBI world closed its doors to them.
The Kyrgyzstan Investment Visa grants residency to foreign investors who meet specific financial requirements. Applicants qualify by investing at least 10 million KGS (approximately US$114,000) within the past three years.
This visa enables investors to contribute to Kyrgyzstan’s economy through direct investments. It allows them to live and work in the country while managing or expanding their businesses and may lead to citizenship within two years given active participation in business management.
To qualify for the Kyrgyzstan Investment Visa, applicants must meet the following requirements:
Invest in specified sectors of the economy:
Applicants must have invested at least 10 million KGS (approximately US$114,000) within the last three years. Investments are accepted in the following sectors:
Submit a cover letter with detailed information:
Applicants must provide a cover letter on the company’s letterhead, including:
Provide supporting documents:
The following documents must be submitted for consideration:
Obtaining Kyrgyzstan citizenship as an investor is a multi-step process that takes approximately two years to complete. It begins with a one-month investment verification period, during which authorities review and approve the investor’s financial contributions. Once approved, the investor is granted permanent residency.
Following this, the investor must actively operate their business in Kyrgyzstan for a mandatory two-year period to demonstrate their ongoing contribution to the country’s economy. After successfully completing this phase, the investor becomes eligible to apply for citizenship, with the final application process taking an additional six months.
Browse 195 countries’ paths to citizenship in the hyper-detailed IMI Citizenship Catalog.
Applications for this program may be directed to The State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Legislation upon which this program is based:

A forgotten relic of Soviet governance created a loophole that Russians utilized once the CBI world closed its doors to them.

The Quadrilateral Agreement allows pre-1991 Soviet-born applicants to get Kyrgyz citizenship without ever having lived in the country

Keen on Russian capital and not concerned with an EU reaction, the region could become a hotbed for CBI, writes Saahil Menon.
See more statistics on this program and others in the IMI Data Center.