Is it possible for a citizen to change his passport ahead of schedule?

In what cases is it necessary to replace a document?

The reasons leading to the need to replace a foreign passport can be divided into two groups. The first includes cases when a document, due to various circumstances, loses its legal force, for example, due to:

• the expiration of its validity period;
• there is an error in any data;
• damage to the international passport or its individual pages;
• loss.

The second group of reasons for replacing a document includes cases where the old passport formally remains valid, but replacing it can significantly make it easier for the owner to cross borders. Such cases include:

• change of name, surname or patronymic by the owner of the document (most often in connection with marriage for women);
• a radical change in appearance, when the owner of the document is difficult to identify in the photo pasted into the passport;
• lack of sufficient free pages for planned visa marks;
• Before the expiration date, you can change your passport even if the trip is planned to countries that require the passport to remain valid for a certain period after leaving them;
• replacing an old document with a new generation document with biometric data;
• other circumstances (most often the owner’s desire to hide a visit to a country before visiting a state at war with it, for example, reluctance to have a document with an Israeli visa before traveling to Iran).

Thus, there are a number of reasons that lead to the need to change your passport ahead of schedule.

It should be borne in mind that employees of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs under no circumstances have the right to reject an application to replace a document, and if this does happen, you should feel free to file a complaint about their actions with the management of the unit.

Let's take a closer look at the most popular reasons for replacing a document.

If your passport has expired

The answer to the frequently asked question about what to do if your passport has expired depends on whether you are planning trips abroad in the near future. If you have planned a trip abroad within six months after the expiration of the document, it is worth considering the issue of replacing it. If no travel is expected in the foreseeable future, you can change it “just in case” - the laws of the Russian Federation do not oblige citizens to change their foreign passport immediately after its expiration date.

If an error has occurred

Despite the fact that at all stages of obtaining a foreign passport, employees of the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (formerly the FMS) exercise strict control over the correctness of the entered data, people sometimes tend to make mistakes. Therefore, if you find an incorrect spelling of your passport data or an error in other information about yourself, you should remember that an error in the passport is grounds for replacing it. In this case, a document containing this error loses its legal force.

If there is a change of surname

The most common reason for changing a surname among Russian citizens is marriage. And although de jure the international passport remains valid in such a situation, de facto different surnames in the international passport and other documents may become a reason for additional identity verification and even denial of entry into some countries.

Which passport is better to change to: an old one or a new one?

Currently, Russia has two equivalent formats for foreign passports: the “old” one, which does not contain biometric data and is valid for five years, and the “new” one, which is distinguished by the presence of biometrics and an extended validity period of up to 10 years. At the same time, the replacement of old-style documents with biometric ones is carried out without any additional conditions at the request of the owner.

The most important advantage of a document with biometric data for travelers is the accelerated completion of the personal identification procedure at customs points equipped with a device for reading information from the microchip located in the document.

Most often, such checkpoints are found on the borders of the EU and the USA, although they can be found in other countries.

Thus, replacing a foreign passport with a biometric one is not a mandatory procedure, since both document formats are legally valid. However, the new generation passport is valid longer and gives its owner the opportunity to expedite border and customs control in some countries.

International passport and marriage

Having taken the surname of your significant other, you must change your civil documents within a month. But the question remains open whether it is necessary to change the international passport when changing the surname. Several factors influence the decision.

Formally, the received document continues to be valid until the period specified in it. If documents for a honeymoon are prepared in advance, the maiden name will appear everywhere.

There will be no questions at the border with a visa-free country. You can safely go on vacation to the usual Turkey or Egypt. But when traveling to the USA, Great Britain, Schengen countries, you may not be allowed through at the border due to different data in the foreign and general passports.

You can order a new international passport only after replacing your regular one. You won’t be able to do everything right away.

How does the replacement procedure work?

The procedure for replacing a foreign passport is not much different from the procedure for obtaining it for the first time. The application is submitted to the Main Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (FMS) both through a personal visit and via the Internet. A document of both the old and new sample can also be issued by contacting one of.

You can submit an application either to the department of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the place of registration, or at the place of actual residence or temporary stay.

The list of documents required to obtain a new document includes:

• statement;
• passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
• old passport;
• two photographs of the applicant, 3.5 × 4.5 cm;
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• military ID and a certificate from the military registration and enlistment office (for men from 18 to 27 years old).

Other documents may be needed:

• if you have changed your last name, you will need a corresponding application;
• If you have lost your passport, you will need a statement describing the circumstances of the loss.

If you plan to start processing the document in the near future, it is worth considering the detailed instructions in the article “Obtaining a foreign passport.”

How to change a foreign passport through “State Services”

Replacing a foreign passport via the Internet can save not only time, but also money, because when replacing/registering this document through the State Services website, there is a 30% discount on paying state duty by non-cash method. The service is available to users registered in the ESIA system. To get a new document, you need to go to the portal, make a choice between the old and new version of a foreign passport, fill out a form and attach a photo.

To learn how to do all this correctly, read the article “Change a foreign passport via the Internet.”

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When you go to get your international passport at the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, do not forget to take with you the above package of documents - despite entering and checking data electronically, paper documents are still required to obtain a completed international passport.

How much does it cost and where can I pay?

The cost of a foreign service for a minor over 14 years old is equal to the price of the service for an adult. However, there is an opportunity to save. When paying for services through the State Services portal, a 30% discount is given. In this case, the cost of registration will be equal to:

You can pay on the portal only when submitting documents through State Services.

Where can I get a receipt?

1. Download from the website guvm.mvd.rf.
2. Take your receipt when you visit the branch.
3. Use electronic payment at State Services.

Where to pay?

1. In person at any bank.
2. In your bank's personal account.
3. Online at State Services.
4. In specialized terminals in the MFC.

Attention! Banks and terminals usually charge a fee for payment.

How long does it take to replace a passport and how much does it cost?

It is almost impossible to say exactly how quickly from the moment you submit your application you will receive a finished document. However, there are statutory deadlines for replacing a foreign passport, which are:

• up to 1 month – if you applied to the Main Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at your place of registration;
• up to 3 months – if you applied not at your place of registration, but at your place of residence or stay.

Having access to state secrets and other classified information extends these periods by 4 months.

In addition, the actual time for receiving a new document depends on a number of factors. For example, in the case of urgent registration, an old-style international passport can be obtained in just 3 days, but a biometric one takes at least a week.

If you want to more accurately plan your time before traveling, it is worth studying in more detail the processing time for a foreign passport.

The only payment you have to make is the state fee. For a biometric passport, the fee is 5,000 rubles for adults and 2,500 rubles for children (under 14 years old). An old-style document will cost less - 2,000 rubles for adults and 1,000 rubles for children. Find out about the cost of urgently processing a document, as well as with the help of an intermediary, from the article “How much does a foreign passport cost?”

How to quickly replace your passport

Russian legislation provides for the possibility of expedited replacement of an identification document of a citizen of the Russian Federation in the following cases:

• the applicant's upcoming treatment (especially surgical treatment) in foreign clinics;
• a planned visit to a sick relative of the applicant who is abroad;
• planned attendance at the funeral of a close relative of the applicant who died abroad.

At the same time, you can urgently change your foreign passport provided that you provide documents reliably confirming the occurrence of one of these cases. In all these situations, only an old-style document is issued, but you can receive it within three days from the date of application.

Some companies offer clients to receive a passport within two weeks. Often the activities of such companies are associated with corruption or ordinary fraud, so they should be avoided.

Design nuances

Rules for filling out the form:

• The questionnaire is printed on both sides of an A4 sheet.
• A personal signature is placed in the presence of the inspector when submitting documents. There is no need to install it at home when filling it out.
• There is no need to certify the questionnaire at your place of work or place of residence.
• When filling out by hand, the questionnaire is filled out with a pen with black or blue ink in block letters. There should be no corrections.
• There is no need to paste a photo into the application yourself.
• The application form for obtaining a new type of international passport is filled out only in capital letters; you cannot go beyond the edges of the rectangles.

To avoid mistakes, you need to fill out the fields not from memory, but based on the documents. It is better to clarify any unclear points with a department employee.

Timely replacement of your passport after expiration will allow you to travel abroad without any problems, if necessary. Correct execution of the application form is the key to ensuring that the documents will be accepted the first time .

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

How to change a child's passport

Unlike a civil passport, which in Russia is issued from the age of 14, a child at any age will need a foreign passport to travel outside the country. Moreover, the form of the document issued to children is no different from a passport for adults.

Fans of traveling with the whole family are often interested in the question of how to correctly and without problems change the international passport of a child under 14 years old. In fact, this procedure is the same as for adults, but slightly different documents will be needed.

In particular, the child's birth certificate is required. You will also need the Russian passports of the parents, which must contain information about the child. For orphans, acts of appointment of a guardian will be required.

During the procedures required by law (except for submitting biometric data when replacing a passport with a new document), the child’s personal presence is not required (although it is not limited), therefore, parents or guardians can change the child’s document without his participation.

Read more about this in the article “How to obtain a foreign passport for a child.”

If the citizen's passport is under 14 years old without a signature

A citizen of the Russian Federation acquires the right to sign upon reaching the age of 14 . Until this time, a foreign passport is issued with a dash in the “signature” column. If the document is issued after 14 years, then it requires a signature.

In the future, a dispute may arise about the validity of the document, because a person over 14 years old does not have a signature. According to Russian legislation, this circumstance is not considered a reason for changing a foreign passport.

The features of a foreign passport for children under 14 years old are described here, and in this article you will learn everything about a foreign passport for a child from 14 to 18 years old.

Algorithm of actions

There are situations in which border guards do not always know the legislation of other states, so they may begin to find out the reason that the foreign passport is not signed by its owner.

If parents or a minor citizen are asked to explain why there is no signature on a document, it is necessary to:

1. Explain to the border guard that at the time the document was issued the child did not have the right to sign.
2. If any controversial issues arise, call the head of the border service.
3. In exceptional cases, they may be asked to provide the child’s general passport.
4. In any case, according to the laws of the Russian Federation, there are no grounds for declaring a document invalid until the end of its validity period.

Reference . Some countries may refuse to issue a visa without a signature in the minor's passport. This point is clarified in advance at the Consulate of the country where you plan to travel.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Do they take away the old passport when replacing it?

If the exchange is made due to the expiration of the passport, it is not necessary to hand it over, despite the fact that the old document is already considered invalid by the time of replacement - it is stamped by an employee of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the number and signature of the owner is cut out of it, and in this form it is returned to the owner. Valid foreign passports will have to be returned upon exchange, but there are exceptions here too - for example, if the passport still contains valid visas from countries to which you are planning a trip in the near future. However, many lawyers advise throwing away the expired passport after replacing it to avoid theft or confusion.

Is it possible to change a passport ahead of time?

You can get a new passport to replace your old one without waiting for its expiration date. There are no legal obstacles to the exchange - an application can be submitted almost at any time if the reasons discussed above occur.

Do I need to pay a fine if my passport has expired?

Unlike a civil passport, a foreign passport is not a mandatory document for citizens and they only need it at the moment of crossing the border, so there are no penalties for late replacement. Thus, the renewal of a foreign passport for citizens of the Russian Federation is not associated with any additional payments other than payment of the state fee.

Is it possible to obtain a new Russian passport outside the Russian Federation?

At the moment, this opportunity is provided only for two categories of citizens: for those who have citizenship other than Russian, and for holders of long-term visas. Such persons can obtain a new document at the Russian consulate in the country in which they are located. For other categories of citizens, the exchange of a foreign passport for a new one is carried out at the offices of the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs upon return to the Russian Federation. If you are traveling on a tourist visa and have lost this important document, you should contact the Russian consulate for a Certificate of Return, which will allow you to cross the Russian border one time and apply for a new document.

Exchange deadlines

For citizens of the Russian Federation living on its territory, the period for document exchange ranges from one to four months. For residents of the Russian Federation living outside its borders, it will take four to six months to wait for an exchange.

If a person contacts the department at the place of registration, then the exchange should wait only 30 days. If the passport is changed in a regional unit not at the place of registration, then the exchange will take up to four months.