Russia stopped issuing passports in Abkhazia

Russian passports were issued in Abkhazia for less than a month. At the request of Abkhaz parliamentarians, this practice was discontinued. As before, Abkhaz residents will have to travel to Russia to obtain Russian citizenship.

The Russian Embassy in Abkhazia announced the closure of Russian passport issuance offices in the partially recognized republic. These offices, which opened in early 2026, therefore operated for less than a month.

The embassy explained that Abkhaz politicians, including several parliamentarians, opposed the issuance of Russian passports in Abkhazia, declaring the dubious legitimacy of such procedures.

Therefore, Russian diplomats decided to no longer issue Russian passports in Abkhazia. Abkhaz residents will once again have to travel to Russia to obtain them.