Russian passport
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Russian passports are issued to citizens of Russia for the purpose of international travel.
Contents |
[edit] Internal passport
The Russian internal passport is the primary identity document for citizens of the Russian Federation residing in Russia. It is initially issued to citizens at the age of 14 by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, and has to be renewed at the ages of 20 and 45. Every citizen after the age of 14 who is a permanent resident of Russia is required to have a valid internal passport.
The passport contains the information about the full name of the citizen, his/her sex, birth date and birthplace and a picture of him/her. Also it contains remarks about his/her home address, military duty, marriage, children under 14, other internal and foreign passports issued by the Russian authorities, blood group (voluntarily) and individual taxpayer identification number (also voluntarily). All the data are filled in Russian. Any other remarks render it invalid.
The Russian police will sometimes do random ID checks to look for draft dodgers, illegal immigrants, people who don't have the proper registration, etc. Since the lack of an identity document can be grounds for temporary detention, many Russians, especially young people, carry their passport whenever going outside.
[edit] International passport
The Russian internal passport serves as an identity document only within Russia. To go abroad to most countries with current exceptions for some ex-Soviet Union countries, and to reside there while retaining Russian citizenship, Russian adults need a passport for travel abroad issued by Russian authorities (in Russian: заграничный паспорт, zagranichny pasport; sometimes translated as international passport or foreign passport), which is valid for only 5 years and is not granted by default. In addition to the standard zagranichny pasport, there exist three special-purpose types of passports for traveling abroad: the diplomatic passport (issued to Russian diplomats), the service passport (issued to government employees going abroad on official business), and the seaman's passport. A citizen can be denied a passport for travel abroad, and hence the right to leave Russia, if: (s)he had, in order to get access to classified information, signed a contract with the government that included a provision restricting his/her right to leave the country; has been conscripted to the military or alternative civil service; is detained as a suspect for a crime; is under investigation or is serving his/her term according to a court decision; disobeys obligations imposed by a court decision; or has provided false information in his/her application. Children under 18 can only go abroad by consent of both parents or when permitted to do so by a court decision.
[edit] Visa-free access for Russian passport holders
According to a study done by Henley & Partners, Russian citizens enjoy visa-free access to 35 countries and territories for short-term tourism visits. Russia is ranked 62nd in the study in terms of international travel freedom.
An agreement between the European Community and Russia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas [1] has been in force since June 1, 2007. It has unified the cost of visas, and made it easier to obtain visas for close relatives, journalists, official delegations, transport crew members and some other groups of visitors. Similar agreements have been signed, but not yet ratified, between Russia and Denmark, and Russia and Norway. Silvio Berlusconi, the Prime Minister of Italy, and later Alexander Stubb, the Foreign Minister of Finland have started public discussions on the future possibility for visa-free travel between the EU countries and Russia. [1][2] Both the EU and Russia acknowledge, however, that there are many problems to be solved before visa-free travel is introduced.
[edit] Africa
| Country | Acceptable passport types | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal | For travel abroad | Service | Diplomatic | |
 Benin |
No | Pre-issued visa required. A 2 day transit visa (extendable) may be available unofficially on a case-to-case basis at land border crossings | 90 days | 90 days |
 Botswana |
No | 90 days (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means) | same? | same? |
 Burkina Faso |
No | 30 day visa on arrival (10 000 CFA francs) | 90 days | 90 days |
 Burundi |
No | Visa on arrival if the travel agency informs the Burundi authorities in advance | ? | ? |
 Cape Verde |
No | In most cases, can get visa on arrival | Yes | Yes |
 Comoros |
No | Visa on arrival | same? | same? |
 Djibouti |
No | 10 day or 1 month visa on arrival | same? | same? |
 Egypt |
No | 1 month visa on arrival for $15; free 15 day visa on arrival for southern Sinai Peninsula only | 90 days | 90 days |
 Ethiopia |
No | 30 day visa on arrival (with 2 photographs; $100) | 90 days | 90 days |
 Guinea |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Kenya |
No | 90 day visa on arrival (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means; $50) | same? | same? |
 Madagascar |
No | 90 day visa issued on arrival (with return ticket; 140 000 Malagasy ariary) | ? | ? |
 Mauritius |
No | 60 day visa on arrival (with return ticket and letter of invitation or tourist voucher) | same? | same? |
 Mozambique |
No | 30 day visa issued on arrival | ? | ? |
 Morocco |
No | 3 months (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means) | 3 months | 3 months |
 Namibia |
No | 3 months | same? | same? |
 Seychelles |
No | 30 days (return ticket, proof of sufficient monetary means, and hotel reservation or tourist voucher) | ? | ? |
 Tanzania |
No | Visa on arrival (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means; $50) | same? | same? |
 Togo |
No | 7 day visa on arrival (10 000 CFA francs) | same? | same? |
 Uganda |
No | Visa on arrival ($30) | same? | same? |
 Zambia |
No | Visa on arrival (24 hours for $10, 30 days for $25, multiple entry visa for $80) | same? | same? |
[edit] Americas
| Country | Acceptable passport types | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal | For travel abroad | Service | Diplomatic | |
 Antigua and Barbuda |
No | 1 month (with return ticket) | same? | same? |
 Argentina |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 3 months | 3 months |
 Barbados |
No | 28 days (with return ticket, proof of sufficient monetary means) | same? | same? |
 Brazil |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Chile |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Colombia |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Costa Rica |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance (but holders of U.S., Canada or EU visa valid for at least 6 months can stay for 30 days without visa) | 3 months | 3 months |
 Cuba |
No | 30 days (with return ticket) | 30 days | 30 days |
 Dominica |
No | 21 days (with return ticket, proof of sufficient monetary means, and hotel reservation or tourist voucher) | ? | ? |
 Dominican Republic |
No | 30 tourist card issued on arrival for US$ 10 | ? | ? |
 Ecuador |
No | 90 days | 90 days | 90 days |
 El Salvador |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Grenada |
No | 3 months | same? | same? |
 Guatemala |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 3 months | 3 months |
 Haiti |
No | 3 months | same? | same? |
 Honduras |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Jamaica |
No | 30 day visa on arrival (with return ticket, hotel reservation, and proof of sufficient monetary means) | 90 days | 90 days |
 Nicaragua |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Panama |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Paraguay |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 3 months | 3 months |
 Peru |
No | 90 days tourism only (with return ticket) | 90 days | 90 days |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | With special permission | Yes |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
No | 1 month (with return ticket) | same? | same? |
 Suriname |
No | Pre-travel visa required | same? | same? |
 Turks and Caicos Islands |
No | 30 days (with return ticket, proof of sufficient monetary means) | same? | same? |
 Uruguay |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 3 months | 3 months |
 Venezuela |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
[edit] Asia
| Country | Acceptable passport types | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal | For travel abroad | Service | Diplomatic | |
 Abkhazia (de jure part of Georgia |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Armenia |
No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Azerbaijan |
No | 90 days | same? | same? |
 Bangladesh |
No | 90 days visa available of arrival for $50 | ? | ? |
 Cambodia |
No | 1 month tourist visa on arrival (with photograph; $20); 3 month business visa on arrival (with photograph; $25) | Yes | Yes |
 China |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | same | Yes |
 East Timor |
No | 30 day visa on arrival ($25) | ? | ? |
 Georgia |
No | 1 month visa on arrival in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Batumi airports and at some land and sea border crossings | same | same |
 India |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Indonesia |
No | Visa on arrival (with return tickets; $10 for 6 days, $25 for 30 days) | same? | same? |
 Israel |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance; tourist visas to be abolished in summer of 2008[3] | Yes | Yes |
 Iran |
No | 15 day tourist visa on arrival to international airports (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means; $50). Women without a headscarf will not be issued a visa. | 30 days | 30 days |
 Jordan |
No | Visa on issued on arrival for 10 Jordanian Dinar | same? | same? |
 Kazakhstan |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Kyrgyzstan |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Laos |
No | 30 day visa on arrival in international airports (with 2 photographs and return ticket; $30) | Yes | Yes |
 Lebanon |
No | 3 month visa on arrival | ? | ? |
 Macau |
No | 30 days visa on arrival (with return ticket, proof of sufficient monetary means; 100 Macanese pataca) | Visa on arrival for 30 days | Visa on arrival for 30 days |
 Malaysia |
No | 1 month (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means) | same? | same? |
 Maldives |
No | 30 days visa on arrival (with return ticket) | same? | same? |
 Mongolia |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Myanmar |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Nepal |
No | Visa on arrival (with 2 photographs; $30 for 60 days, $50 for multiple entry 150 day visa) | 90 days | 90 days |
 North Korea |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Pakistan |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | Yes | Yes |
 Philippines |
No | 21 days | Must apply for a visa in advance | Must apply for a visa in advance |
 Singapore |
No | 96 hour transit only | 30 days | 30 days |
 South Korea |
No | 15 days (if have visited South Korea 5 times in past 2 years, or 10 times total). 30 days for visiting Jeju Island only. | same? | 90 days |
 Sri Lanka |
No | 30 days, return ticket required | same | same |
 Syria |
No | Men can usually get a visa on arrival ($20). Women are recommended to apply for a visa in advance. | same | same |
 Tajikistan |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Thailand |
No | 30 days tourism only | 90 days | 90 days |
 Turkey |
No | 2 month two-entry visa on arrival (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means; $20 or €15) | same? | 90 days |
 Turkmenistan |
No | either pre-issued visa or invitation letter by MFA stating visa will be stamped at airport needed | 30 days | 30 days |
 Uzbekistan |
No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Vietnam |
No | Visa required prior to travel, except in special cases whre invitation letter travel may suffic for a stay of 7 days | 90 days | 90 days |
 Yemen |
No | 1 month visa on arrival (10 500 Yemeni rial) | same | same |
[edit] Europe
| Country | Acceptable passport types | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal | For travel abroad | Service | Diplomatic | |
 Albania |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance. | 90 days | 90 days |
 Austria |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Belarus |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
.svg/22px-Flag_of_Belgium_(civil).svg.png){kind=small} Belgium |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
No | 90 days (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means) | Yes | Yes |
 Bulgaria |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Croatia |
No | 90 days tourism only (with original letter of invitation or tourist voucher) | Yes | Yes |
 Cyprus |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | up to 90 days | 90 days |
 Czech Republic |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Estonia |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Finland |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 France |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Germany |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Greece |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Hungary |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Italy |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Latvia |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Lithuania |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Luxembourg |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Republic of Macedonia |
No | In practice, getting a visa in advance is sometimes required. In theory, can get a visa on arrival (with letter of invitation, tourist voucher, or "poslovno" or "podelovno" stamp). | Yes | Yes |
 Malta |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Moldova |
No | 90 days | Yes | Yes |
 Montenegro |
No | 30 days (hotel reservation and proof of sufficient monetary means occasionally required) | ? | ? |
 The Netherlands |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Poland |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Portugal |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Romania |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Serbia |
No | 90 days | Yes | Yes |
 Slovakia |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | 90 days | 90 days |
 Slovenia |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Spain |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Sweden |
No | Must apply for a visa in advance | No | 90 days |
 Ukraine |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
[edit] Oceania
| Country | Acceptable passport types | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal | For travel abroad | Service | Diplomatic | |
 Cook Islands |
No | 31 days (with return ticket, hotel reservation or tourist voucher, and proof of sufficient monetary means) | ? | ? |
 Fiji |
No | 4 months (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means) | ? | ? |
 Federated States of Micronesia |
No | 30 days tourism only | ? | ? |
 Niue |
No | 30 days (with hotel reservation) | ? | ? |
 Palau |
No | 30 day visa on arrival (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means) | ? | ? |
 Samoa |
No | 30 days (with return ticket and proof of sufficient monetary means or tourist voucher) | ? | ? |
 Tonga |
No | 31 day tourist visa on arrival (with return ticket and hotel reservation or tourist voucher) | ? | ? |
 Tuvalu |
No | 1 month tourist visa on arrival (with return ticket, and hotel reservation or tourist voucher, and proof of sufficient monetary means) | ? | ? |
 Vanuatu |
No | 30 days (with return ticket, hotel reservation or tourist voucher, and proof of sufficient monetary means) | ? | ? |
[edit] References and notes
- ^ RIA Novosti, Berlusconi wants EU-Russia visa regime to be scrapped, 18.04.2008
- ^ YLE News, FM: Visa Exemptions Beneficial to Finland and Russia, 24.05.2008
- ^ Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Russia, Israel ink visa deal, 20.03.2008
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Statute on the Russian federation citizen's passport (in Russian).
- Federal Law On the Entry in the Russian Federation and Departure from the Russian Federation (.doc in Russian).
- Federal Law On the State Border of the Russian Federation (.doc in Russian).
- Countries that citizens of Russia can enter easily or without a visa (in Russian, appears to be current, tourist-oriented)
- List of countries with simplified entry procedures (in Russian, dated 15 July 2005)
- Information for those going abroad from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Russian, dates unknown; some information is outdated)
- List of countries that the citizens of Russian Federation can enter without a visa (in Russian, date unknown; some information is outdated)
