New transliteration in a foreign passport: what has changed

The issuance of a foreign passport is clearly regulated by law. The most difficult stage is the correct spelling of the first and last name in Latin. After all, the rules in this regard change all the time; accordingly, you need to be extremely careful not to make a typo, especially since some citizens have surnames that are by no means standard, and the fashion for exotic names has not yet gone away. If the applicant receives a document in which errors are found, he will need to start all over again, redo it, and waste time re-applying to the Main Department of Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. To prevent such situations from affecting you in 2021, we recommend that you study the rules by which the translation process into transliteration is carried out.

What changes have been made

Quite recently, the rules regarding the issue of writing personal data in transliteration have been changed. The rules that were used before were adopted in 2010, the next process of changes took place in 2021. Now everyone who will receive a foreign passport in 2021 must take into account the new rules. The updated system fully complies with international standards. It operates on the basis of Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs dated November 27, 2017 N 889.

Important!

The main difficulties lie in finding analogues of certain Cyrillic letters. These are the letters: Ъ, ь, Ж, Ц, Ш, Х, Ш, Ш, У, Я. These letters were typically translated using a combination of Latin characters, but this rule was revised in 2021. New designations also appeared for the letters: Ъ, И, Ё. After all, previously they were not subject to translation. The soft sign remains without translation.

Naturally, such norms changed the entire structure of the usual spelling of first and last names. And this caused numerous difficulties and problems. For example, if previously “Alexey” in transliteration looked like: Alexey, then based on the new rules the spelling looks completely different: Aleksei.

Transliteration from Russian to Latin today is carried out by a specialized program, which almost completely eliminates the possibility of making an error.

So there is no need to worry too much about this. But practice shows that mistakes are still made.

What changes have occurred?

In 2021, adjustments have been made to the rules. New standards that have already come into force are similar to international ones adopted in other countries. They will eliminate misunderstandings for domestic tourists when traveling abroad.

The changes affected most popular Russian names and many common surnames. We list the replacements that are important to know:

1. The letter “E” now also looks like “E” in transliteration. Previously it was written as "YE".
2. “Y” received a new designation; now it looks like “I”. Previously it was indicated as "Y".
3. The vowel “Yu”, when written, is transformed into “I” with the addition of “U”. Now this letter looks like “IU”, previously it was “YU”.
4. Corrections have also been made to the spelling of “C”. Previously, it looked like “TS” in the passport, now it looks like “TS”.
5. Another one of the typical Russian “Ъ” simply disappeared when translated into Cyrillic, but is now present and looks like “IE”.

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Take the free test and find out your chances. It is worth considering specific examples in the old and new spelling. More specifically:

1. The name Egor in the new format looks like Egor instead of the difficult to spell Yegor.
2. Name Julia – Iulia
3. Dmitry will be called Dmitrii in the new documents.
4. The name Valery should be written like this – Valerii.
5. An example of a surname is Tsaplin, previously the spelling looked like Tcaplin, now Tsaplin.

What is transliteration

This is the procedure of replacing characters from one language to another. The main goal of this process is the need to create maximum correspondence between the original version and the transformed one.

Important!

Transliteration should not be confused with translation. After all, translation involves a full-fledged process of searching for matches of words that are present in another language. Transcription is the process of writing the sound of a word using special symbols and phonemes. Transliteration is only a tracing paper that determines the transfer of the Cyrillic alphabet into Latin characters.

List of the most significant changes

Today, a significant number of specialized services have appeared, on the basis of which it is possible to carry out an automatic translation process into Latin. Such assistants will come in handy when applying for a foreign passport or visa. Self-translation will help you check how correctly the translation was carried out when applying for a passport, and if you identify any problems, immediately report it to a specialist.

What are the differences

The changes affected the letters “th” and “ts”; the letter “e” and the hard sign are transliterated in a new way.

What will your new name look like? Online transliteration for a foreign passport is available on many sites, but be careful: some of them are already outdated.

Automated translation services

It is quite obvious that today many people are trying to verify the data in their passport in order to avoid troubles in the future. There are a lot of specialized services that are equipped with programs for carrying out the process of converting data into Latin. Such services are free, which allows you to quickly obtain the necessary knowledge. You can also download the order, which became the basis for entering the above data, study the document and, based on it, independently carry out the translation procedure.

The automatic translation method is performed as follows:

• A website with an online form opens. For example, this one: https://translit-online.ru/pasport.html.
• The required data is entered into the request line.
• The button is clicked to start the automatic translation.
• You can rewrite the result for yourself.

Using the recommended services, you can complete the translation process within one minute. When filling out an application at the migration service, you must carefully copy such data into the application. But how correctly and accurately your data will be entered into your foreign passport depends on the service specialists. But if, when receiving your passport, you notice an error, you must immediately inform the specialist about this so that the necessary adjustments can be made and the replacement process can be completed.

What to do if different documents contain different data

The most common problem is when different translations are made in different documents. What to do in such a situation?

The rules of the migration service indicate that if the spelling of the first and last name in the old and new passport differs due to changes in the transliteration rules, then no claims are made against the person, and representatives of other states do not have the right to carry out any additional processes checks. This is enshrined at the legislative level. But when the old passport expires, the correct translation must be made in the new document.

The same applies to bank cards, since until they are reissued, transfer data according to the old rules may be stored on them. Additional documents will need to be submitted:

• Russian Federation passport.
• International passport.
• Diploma.
• Marriage certificate.
• Birth certificate, etc.

New transliteration rules

In Russia, new transliteration rules came into force in September 2014 in connection with the transition to international standards for writing first and last names in international passports. According to the new rules, the letter “Y” will now be written as “I” (previously designated as “Y”), the letter “C” as “TS” (previously designated as “TC”). The vowels "Yu" and "Ya" will be written as "IU" and "IA". A designation also appeared for the sign “Ъ”, which will be written as “IE”.

An example of writing some names in the new passport: Andrey - Andrei (formerly Andrey) Victoria - Viktoriia (formerly Viktoriya) Yana - Iana (formerly Yana) Yulia - Iuliia (instead of Yuliya)

Do you want to know how your first and last name will be written in your passport according to the new rules?

To do this, you need to enter your data in the appropriate cells of the form below and click on the “Transliterate” button.
In case you want to see the transliteration of the Cyrillic alphabet for the Russian alphabet, click on the “New Rules” button Close
Last Name / Surname First Name Patronymic / Name XXXXXXXXXXRUSXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

What to do if you are not satisfied with the change in the spelling of your full name?

If for one reason or another you are not satisfied with how your full name will be written in the new passport, you can write a statement asking to keep the previous spelling of your full name. To do this, you will need to provide the necessary documents with the old spelling of your name:

“...by a reasoned written application of a citizen, drawn up in any form and submitted in person upon provision of available documents (passport, residence permit, visa, marriage certificate, education documents, title documents, bank and other documents), writing the surname and name of the owner passports in letters of the Latin alphabet are made in accordance with the submitted documents on the basis of a decision of the head of the Federal Migration Service of Russia (within the scope of competence), the territorial body or unit carrying out the issuance of the passport, or the person replacing him.”

According to paragraph 78 (Order of the Federal Migration Service of Russia dated February 3, 2010 N 26, Moscow)

Sample written statement:

"Statement. I ask in accordance with clause 78 of the “Administrative Regulations of the Federal Migration Service for the provision of public services for the registration and issuance of passports of a citizen of the Russian Federation, identifying the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation outside the territory of the Russian Federation, and for the performance of the state function of their registration”, when making a new foreign passport form, keep the transliteration of the spelling of my name in the previous form - full name, since the spelling of the name in this form is used in a significant number of financial and legal documents, changing which will entail significant financial and time costs. In support of the above and a reasoned statement about preserving the old form of spelling the name, I enclose copies of the following documents: - list of documents”

On a note!

— This application must be submitted to the Federal Migration Service along with a list of documents for obtaining a new foreign passport. — The head of the department of the Federal Migration Service of Russia, where the international passport is issued, will consider and make a decision on your application.

Source

— Order of the Federal Migration Service (FMS of Russia) dated February 3, 2010 N 26, Moscow “On approval of the Administrative Regulations of the Federal Migration Service for the provision of public services for the registration and issuance of passports of a citizen of the Russian Federation, identifying the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation outside the territory of the Russian Federation Federation, and for the performance of the state function of accounting for them” (Appendix No. 10).

https://www.rg.ru/2010/03/05/pasport-dok.html

Typical mistakes on the topic

Error: You can leave the data for the old transfer at your own discretion.

In fact, this is not so, the existing rules are mandatory for everyone, and they are enshrined in law. Even if a person liked the way his data was translated by transliteration according to the previous version of the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he cannot reserve the right to use such data. Upon receipt of new documents, adjustments will be made in accordance with current legislation.

Error: You need to replace your passport in order to write your full name in transliteration, otherwise you won’t be able to leave the country anywhere.

Also a typical mistake. Using an old passport with a translation according to the old rules, you can travel until its expiration date; many airlines even give you the opportunity to use tickets that were purchased with the old data (boarding is carried out with new passports, which essentially creates a certain data discrepancy). There will be no problems crossing the border.

Translation of the name Yuri into English for informal communication

If you need to say or write Yuri in English to communicate with foreigners, then the number of translation options is virtually limitless. Why? Because transliteration is not regulated by international standards, i.e. Every person is free to choose how to write their name. But, of course, there are popular variants, lesser-known translations, and the most original, extremely rare writing styles. For clarity, we give the translation of the name Yuri into English for each of the named groups.

So, in informal communication it is not necessary to follow the Russian standard, according to which Yuri is written in English in a foreign passport. On the contrary, it is better to use popular international transliteration systems, the methods of which will be closer and more understandable to a foreigner. And one of the most popular translations of the name Yuri is written as Yuri. This option is most often used in colloquial speech, media publications and fiction.

• Listen to me, Yuri! I promise you will be free. - Yuri, listen to me! I promise you will be free.
• In 1961 cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin visited Cuba. — In 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin visited Cuba.
• Yuri Fedorovich, to get on the trolleybus enter from the other side. — Yuriy Fedorovich, the entrance to the trolleybus is located on the other side.

There are also cases when Yuri is written in English as Yury or Yuriy. It would seem that this spelling is closer to Russian pronunciation, however, such forms are rarely used in speech.

• After the final match, Yuriy Ivanov told reporters that the team's goalkeeper was seriously injured. — After the final match, Yuri Ivanov told reporters that the team goalkeeper was seriously injured.
• During the clashes, Yury Timofeev destroyed fifteen armed enemies. — During the battles, Yuri Timofeev eliminated fifteen armed opponents.

And among the rarest variants, the English translation of the name Yuri as Youri deserves special attention. Agree, there is a kind of charm and grace in this word. The spelling of this translation is also interesting: you resembles an English pronoun identical in spelling, and the ending ri is somewhat reminiscent of the French manner of speech. It is all the more surprising that the overall pronunciation turns out to be the Russian name Yuri. So if you want to be original and stand out among the many namesakes, you can safely use this exact translation of the name.

• Youri Derevyanchenko – a Russian businessman, the main owner of the ABC corporation. — Yuri Derevyanchenko is a Russian businessman, the main owner.

However, in general, informal communication does not involve the use of the full form of the name. After all, even in Russian it is very rare for friends and loved ones to address a person as “Yuri.” The full form of the name gives off too much solemnity and formality. Therefore, in colloquial speech it is preferable to use abbreviated forms and affectionate nicknames. So we suggest you find out how Yura is spelled in English, as well as all the derivative forms of this name.

Other English topics: The name Nikolai in English - how to spell it, other name options

Answers to frequently asked questions

Question: What should I do if the documents drawn up for the old data in transliteration do not correspond to the new ones? Is it possible to save the old transliteration?

Answer: As stated above, such actions are impossible. But there are still exceptions to the rules. You can submit a reasoned request to the migration service and indicate the reason why you would like to retain the previous values. If the reason is objective, then on the basis of Order No. 889 dated November 27, 2017 (clause 37.1.6), in rare cases it is possible to preserve the translation according to the old model.

Question

: If I made the transfer in a special program and copied everything correctly into the application, but they give me a passport with other parameters, what should I do?

Answer

: Let’s say right away that not all of the proposed programs actually carry out the correct translation. You need to draw the attention of the service specialist to the discrepancies that have arisen. The specialist will carry out the verification process, and if a mistake was made by you, he will indicate this. If a mistake was made by a specialist when filling out the documents, the passport will have to be redone.

Question

: If a mistake was made and there is a need to make corrections, do I need to collect documents and pay a fee again?

Answer

: No, you simply write a statement in which you indicate the reason why you are returning your passport for rework. They have no right to require any additional documents or payments from you in accordance with established legal norms.

Question

: Can I maintain identity with other documents and not have to make a new translation of my full name by transliteration in the international passport?

Read also:  Is it possible to submit an application for a replacement passport at 45 years before your birthday, what does the law say about this?

Answer

: The law defines this possibility, but it must be supported by evidence. That is, if you simply want to leave the old values ​​because they look prettier, you will not be able to implement such wishes, and the replacement will be made in the new document. But if you have other documents that identify your identity using the old values, then there is a high probability that you will leave the old spelling in the new passport.

Difficulty writing the name Alexey in English

It is no secret that the Russian language and English speech are based on different alphabets. We use the Cyrillic alphabet, while in English-speaking countries preference is given to the Latin alphabet. Actually, in this moment lies the difficulty of translating all Russian names. The fact is that the Cyrillic alphabet contains 33 letters, and the Latin alphabet has only 27 elements. What about those whose names contain missing sounds? Use letter combinations or similar-sounding Latin characters, which is not at all easy to do.

For example, the name Alexey in English has 2 problematic spelling points that need to be replaced with Latin letter combinations. However, there can be several variants of letter combinations! And how to choose the right one? Let's delve into this issue and analyze each problem case in detail.

Letter combination KS

The first difficulty in translation arises when writing the letter combination “KS”. It would seem that it would be difficult: we simply take the same Latin consonants “k” and “s” and substitute them instead of Russian letters. Indeed, from the point of view of a Russian-speaking person, such an English translation of the name Alexey is correct, but a foreigner will find something to object to this statement.

The fact is that in the Latin alphabet there is a letter X, known to us as “X”. But over the years of using the Latin alphabet, the English language has slightly changed its alphabet: in particular, the pronunciation of the letter X has changed from [ix] to [ks] (in some cases [gz]). It turns out that the sound [ks] in English-speaking countries is expressed in writing through the letter X, as evidenced by a number of words: excuse [ɪkˈskjuːs], text [tekst], box [bɒks], explain [iks'plein], etc. So it turns out that Alexey should be translated into English, from the point of view of native speakers, using an “x”: AleX, not Aleks!

It is simply impossible to put an end to the dispute between Russian speakers and the British, and it is not necessary. Everyone is free to write as it is convenient for him, if, of course, circumstances allow such an approach. Later we will also focus on how the name Alexey is written in English in different situations, but for now we will return to the letter analysis, because we still do not know the spelling of the end of the word.

The end of HER

The second problematic point is related to the ending of the name Alexey. In the English language there is no “y” sound as such, and it can only be replaced by the similar-sounding “i”. In turn, the sound “and” in English is conveyed by several letters, which again causes discrepancies in the spelling of the translation.

Other English topics: Russian names in English: rules of spelling and pronunciation

The British and Americans themselves most often prefer to replace “th” with the letter “y” [y]. In this case, Alexey is written in English as Alexey.

• My friend Alexey Romanov took care of that for me. — My friend Alexey Romanov took care of this for me.

According to Russian transliteration standards, it is preferable to write “th” through the ordinary “i” [ai]. It is believed that this method allows you to convey a more correct spelling of the name. Therefore, in our passport offices the name Alexey is written only as Aleksei.

• Aleksei Valerievich Soloviev was born on February 19, 1975 in Volgograd. — Alexey Valerievich Solovyov was born on February 19, 1975 in the city of Volgograd.

In addition, there is a certain intermediate option when the sound of “th” is conveyed by the letter “j” [jay]. And although in literature and the media in English Alexey is written with j quite rarely, we will still keep in mind this method of translation: Alexej (or Aleksej).

• Alexej works as a teacher in a private school. — Alexey works as a teacher in a private school.

As you can see, there can be many variations in the spelling of a Russian name in English. Some options are popular in speech, others are more consistent with Russian spelling, and others better convey the pronunciation of the name Alexey in English. Therefore, it is important to know several translation versions at once and skillfully use them in various life situations. Let's talk about how to do this right now.