Abkhazia‘s Foreign Ministry has said that some residents of the breakaway republic who hold dual Abkhaz-Russian citizenship are experiencing difficulties crossing the Russian border at Moscow airports.
Russian border guards have reportedly been refusing to allow dual nationals to enter or leave the country using their Abkhaz passports, instead demanding Russian documents.
As Abkhazia is a largely unrecognised republic, its passports are also not widely recognised internationally. Travelling on an Abkhaz passport is virtually impossible, except to a handful of countries, including Russia.
For Abkhazians, obtaining a Russian passport is therefore practically the only way to travel internationally. However, this generally means a Russian international passport rather than a domestic identity document. Most do not hold Russian internal passports because they permanently reside in Abkhazia, where Russian passport holders account for around 70% of the population.
The ministry added that people holding only Abkhaz citizenship do not encounter such problems at airports. Similar incidents have not been reported at other border crossing points either.
Russia explains its position by saying that, for dual nationals, a Russian passport is not merely the primary document required to cross the border, but the only acceptable one. However, the explanation has been met with scepticism in Abkhazia, where some suspect the border guards may have other motives.
The issue was discussed by Abkhaz and Russian foreign ministers Oleg Bartsits and Sergei Lavrov during a recent meeting in Moscow. However, no solution has yet been found. According to Abkhazia’s Foreign Ministry, the matter remains subject to “consultations with the competent authorities of the Russian Federation, taking into account the provisions of existing bilateral agreements”.
In the meantime, the ministry has advised Abkhaz citizens experiencing difficulties at border crossings to formally report the incidents to the ministry, providing detailed accounts of what happened.
From the perspective of international practice, border guards at Moscow airports are not doing anything unlawful.
As a general rule, people holding two or more citizenships are required to present the passport of the country whose border they are crossing, if they are citizens of that country.
This requirement is enshrined in national legislation and strictly enforced in countries including Georgia, the United States and many others.
This raises the question: what exactly is the problem, why are Abkhaz citizens unhappy, and why are they reluctant to present their Russian passports at the border if they have them?
For some Abkhazians with dual citizenship, the right to use an Abkhaz passport is a matter of principle and national pride. While this argument carries little legal weight, it is highly significant in Abkhazia.
Others simply want the option of crossing the border using their Abkhaz documents in certain circumstances, such as when their Russian passport has expired and they have not yet received a replacement.
The terminology, place names and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this website.