An all-Russian passport is an identity document for a citizen on the territory of Russia and a number of visa-free countries. A passport is needed to obtain a foreign passport when leaving the country. Is it possible to do the reverse procedure? The law allows this possibility, provided that an identity card based on a foreign passport is issued for the first time. Of course, the recipient must be 14 years old (this is the age at which internal Russian passports are issued in Russia). Let's consider how to obtain a Russian passport using a foreign passport in 2021 on a general basis?
What the law says
Legal relations in the field of issuing passports are regulated by the Administrative Regulations of the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation No. 391, as amended as of March 20, 2017, as well as a number of local acts. Turning to clause 29.1 of these regulations, you can note that diplomatic representatives can obtain a passport abroad. For example, if they have a so-called consular or diplomatic passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A pressing question for today is whether it is possible to obtain an internal passport using a foreign passport again (if replaced)? The law does not allow this possibility even as an exception to the rules. A foreign passport serves as one of the documents for a passport only during the first registration. All other cases are private and require a birth certificate.
Who can obtain Russian citizenship at the embassy?
The circle of persons who have the opportunity to obtain Russian citizenship at the consulate is quite narrow.
For the most part, these institutions are approached by stateless persons who were previously subjects of the USSR and who lived or are currently living in the territory of any of the former Soviet republics.
To the application for citizenship, which is submitted at the consulate, such an applicant must attach the following documents:
- USSR passport, certificate of exchange of a Soviet passport for a stateless person (LGB) certificate, birth certificate or other document confirming the fact that the person was a former citizen of the Soviet Union;
- LGB ID;
- residence permit or other permit for permanent residence in the country in which the stateless person is currently located.
These are the main documents. Depending on the country in which LGB people live, the list may include other items. Therefore, it is better to clarify this circumstance directly with an employee of the diplomatic mission in advance.
In addition, minor children who have parents, guardians or trustees with Russian citizenship, but who live outside of Russia, can obtain Russian citizenship through the embassy.
Please note: until July 2021, adult applicants whose parents had Russian citizenship and were registered in the Russian Federation also had the right to undergo the legalization procedure through the consulate. But at the moment this provision of the law has been abolished.
The last category is persons who have special services to Russia. Regarding such applicants, the decision is made personally by the President, and they can apply for citizenship through the diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation in their country. However, such cases are rare, concern mainly media personalities and are practically not available to ordinary applicants. Case in point: Gerard Depardieu and Steven Seagal.
Reasons for such a procedure
The rules indicate that obtaining an internal Russian passport using a foreign passport is the primary procedure. It is available only to those categories of citizens who can provide reasons for receiving the document.
Who can apply for a Russian passport abroad?
- Foreign applicants.
The main requirement is to obtain a passport from a consulate or diplomatic mission abroad. Consequently, the procedure for obtaining a passport also takes place outside of Russia - due to duty.
- Those who do not have foreign citizenship.
Long-term residence abroad with a foreign passport can serve as the basis for registration of belonging to Russia.
- RSFSR passport holders.
The basis is residence on the territory of the Russian Federation until February 6, 1992, and then moving to another country. The supporting document is a diplomatic passport of a foreign type.
- Minors.
Disagreements regarding the issue of issuing a passport to a child who left Russia with his parents under the age of 14 for permanent residence in another country. As a rule, the migration department excludes such cases from private ones. Upon reaching 14 years of age, a child will be able to obtain a passport on a general basis (without a foreign passport).
List of reasons
Obtaining a Russian passport using a Russian international passport is possible only for those persons who have never received the first document before, but due to various circumstances arrived on Russian territory and intend to issue it. The situation may develop as follows:
- the applicant acquired citizenship of the Russian Federation abroad, where he was issued a Russian foreign passport to enter the country and receive a civil identity card;
- the applicant is not a person of foreign origin, but lived abroad for a long time, where he was issued a Russian passport on the basis of acquiring Russian citizenship;
- the applicant lived in Russia until November 28, 1991, and then went abroad with a USSR passport, never receiving a Russian identity card, but was documented with a Russian foreign passport at the Russian embassy;
- Obtaining an internal passport of the Russian Federation using a foreign passport of the Russian Federation is also possible if the applicant was a citizen of Russia, but went abroad with his parents before reaching his 14th birthday, and therefore, apart from the foreign passport, did not have any other document.
Thus, for the implementation of this procedure, two conditions are decisive: the presence of a Russian foreign passport and the fact that the applicant has never had a general civil document.
Obtaining an internal Russian passport using a foreign passport is not possible if the applicant has a Russian passport (even an expired one) or if it was lost for some reason.
Which authority to contact?
Legal relations in the field of issuing passports are under the jurisdiction of the Directorate for Migration Issues of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The applicant can also contact the “My Documents” (MFC) department or submit an application through the State Services portal (online). The issuance of a Russian passport is a state service, therefore it is paid according to the tariffs under Art. 333.33 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.
The final choice of where to apply remains with the candidate. Experts recommend choosing units of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the place of registration. By contacting the department at the place of temporary stay, the applicant risks delaying the process of issuing a passport.
Collection of documents
It doesn’t matter which method of submitting the application is chosen - the documents for the internal passport of the Russian Federation and the international passport are the same. The applicant will be required to provide the following list:
- the application in form No. 1-P is written personally by hand or filled out on a computer (typewriter);
- a foreign passport (old or new) must be issued abroad, for example, in diplomatic status;
- a birth certificate is especially relevant for children who have reached the age of obtaining a passport;
- photo (2 pcs.) – the dimensions are established by law (3.5x4.5 cm), the main requirement is the location of the oval face from the front, with or without glasses (not sunglasses), in the absence of a headdress and unnecessary objects in the frame;
- receipt of payment of state duty in the amount of 300 rubles.
Additional documents for obtaining a passport for a foreign country:
- original birth certificate of the applicant's children (under 14 years of age);
- certificates of marriage or divorce (if available).
On a note! Don’t delay collecting documents, especially if you are outside of Russia. It is also important to monitor the validity period of some certificates.
We also read: Where is the number and where is the series in the passport? Passport database
Restoration in case of loss within the country
The first step in the sequence of what to do if you have lost a document allowing you to travel abroad is to write a corresponding statement to the police. After the document is accepted, the person will be given a certificate confirming the consideration of the information and its further processing.
The appeal to the authorities is explained by the increased cases of fraud recently, therefore, the less time has passed since the loss, the better. Within one week after submitting the application (sometimes earlier), the missing document loses its relevance.
They contact the department of the Main Directorate for Migration Issues of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation with the received certificate to take further steps to restore (produce) the passport. In some regions of the country, you can contact a multifunctional center with this problem.
The restoration period in standard cases, that is, if the applicant is registered in the region of the place of application, does not exceed 30 days.
You will have to wait more than 3 months to obtain a passport without registration. These time frames are relative; the document can be ready in 2 weeks, 3 or more.
You must fill out a form for a foreign passport, as with the standard registration procedure. The list of required papers that are attached to the application is as follows:
- If possible, a copy of the work permit;
- A certificate received from the police indicating the fact of loss/theft;
- Original internal passport and its photocopy;
- Receipt of payment of the state fee for a foreign passport in the amount corresponding to the tariff for the issued passport - biometric or old type: 3,500 and 2,000 rubles. respectively;
- A certificate from the military registration and enlistment office or a military ID for those who served;
- Photos 3 by 4 in the amount of 4 pcs.
The list must be clarified at the department, as employees may additionally request other documents. Mandatory requirements if you plan to issue a passport with a chip include going through the fingerprinting procedure. It is mandatory to show up for fingerprinting on time.
Sample application for the issuance of a new international passport
second page of the application
If the lost document belonged to a child, then recovery is no different from the procedure described above. It is enough to submit an application for a passport for the child, filled out by an official representative, and the following documents:
- Certificate of guardianship, if necessary;
- Parent's internal passport - original;
- Child's birth certificate.
After submitting the documents to the Main Department of Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, all that remains is to wait for receipt on the specified date.
Design nuances
Moving on to the specifics of the procedure, we should answer the question, is a foreign passport a person’s identity document? The foreigner’s information matches the passport data, so you can buy a plane ticket based on your international passport. But identifying a person’s identity is a rather complicated process, so you can’t do without an internal Russian passport.
Registration of an internal passport of the Russian Federation using a foreign passport significantly simplifies the process of identifying oneself. A foreign passport contains information about citizenship. Thus, this is a kind of analogue of a birth certificate. However, in practice, everything is not as rosy as it looks at first glance. Migration department employees have the right to demand additional documents.
Who is allowed to use a foreign document to obtain an internal
A fairly narrow group of Russians has the right to use such products. Obtaining an internal Russian passport using a foreign passport is available only to those citizens of our country who have never previously been provided with a general civil ID of the Russian Federation. This category includes:
- Those who, being a citizen of a foreign state, acquired Russian citizenship at Russian diplomatic institutions (embassies or consulates) located abroad. There, this fact is documented exclusively by a foreign passport.
- Those who received Russian citizenship in a manner similar to the first point, but were not a foreign citizen, that is, they were a stateless person.
- Those who lived on Russian territory before February 6, 1992, but left this territory and went for permanent residence abroad, having in their hands papers issued in the USSR. From this date the law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation” came into force, but for some time Soviet forms were still used. Such people must have a foreign passport issued by a diplomatic mission and not have previously received an internal passport of the Russian Federation.
- Citizens of Russia who left its territory with their parents or guardians before reaching the age of obtaining an internal certificate. Such persons received a foreign passport without receiving a regular passport.
All listed citizens have the right to obtain an internal passport of the Russian Federation using a foreign passport. True, some difficulties await them along this path, which we will discuss below.
Production time
The general procedure for issuing passports is closely related to registration. Applicants have the right to apply for a passport at their place of residence (propiska) or at their place of temporary stay. Having a foreign passport does not indicate permanent registration. Consequently, the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs issues passports for foreign countries not in 10 days, but only within 60 days (deadline).
The issuance of a temporary identity card for the period of production of the main passport has a single period of 10 minutes. The document allows you to carry out legal actions within the country as if using a Russian passport.
Do I need to pay?
Issuing passports using foreign passports is a government service. The procedure is paid for by the applicant or one of his representatives (for example, the parent of a minor). The cost of state duty for 2021 is 300 rubles.
In case of loss or damage to the identity card, the owner will have to pay 1,500 rubles to restore the passport. Payment is made at the bank's cash desk using the receipt details. The second payment method is to use the Sberbank Online online service or the State Services website.
When they can refuse
Violations when submitting information about the applicant may lead to a refusal by the Main Directorate of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to issue a passport using a foreign passport. This happens under the following circumstances:
- lack of a foreign passport;
- there is no application or it was not submitted in Form No. 1-P;
- There are not enough passport photos;
- absence of a receipt for payment of state duty.
Other cases of refusals are considered unlawful (clause 23 of the Regulations). Faced with the arbitrariness of officials, the applicant has the right to file a complaint or send a statement of claim to the court.
Read also: Check the readiness of the passport
