Procedure for detecting an error in a foreign passport

What is transliteration?

Writing the last name and first name in the Latin alphabet is called transliteration. What exactly is indicated in the document depends on the information that the applicant writes in the application for issuance. Additionally, migration service employees do not carry out transliteration; they are required to write down the information as indicated by the applicant and not make mistakes.

To transliterate his first and last name for a foreign passport, each applicant can use the automatic transliteration program absolutely free of charge.

In essence, transliteration is tracing paper. In the case of surnames and given names, this is the writing of words in Cyrillic in Latin letters.

Important! Don't confuse transcription and transliteration. Transcription is the writing of the sound of words using special phonemes that convey how the word should sound.

Translation rules

The introduction of new rules became a necessary measure due to the use of a single data entry system by all international checkpoints, migration services, airlines and other carriers. Thanks to it, translation from Russian to Latin for a foreign passport is carried out automatically.

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In this regard, the applicant applying for an exit passport is responsible for correctly filling out the application form, and the task of the migration service employees is to correctly enter this data into the system in Cyrillic.

As you know, a mistake of one letter will not play a significant role, but it will be better if your passport contains reliable information, because a lot of other important documents are filled out on its basis.

We recommend that you find out in more detail what documents are needed to obtain a foreign passport.

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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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.

Checking using a special service

For translation, you can use visual tables in which Russian letters and new symbols are entered in accordance with the current rules. But if you don’t have time to do this or your first and last name are too long, then you can use a special service. All that is required in this case is to enter your data in the translation form and immediately receive the result in the second field.

The transliteration program operates according to the norms of the new law. It is available for use free of charge, both for residents of Russia, Ukraine and other countries.

What rules should you remember?

Current transliteration rules for your international passport:

• replacement of letters in the surname and first name is carried out sequentially according to the new transliterations;
• when using online services, it is still worth reviewing the result again;
• For a foreign passport you only need your first and last name;
• After entering the data into the application for a foreign passport, you should once again check the result of the service and self-transliteration.

Is it possible to keep my old name?

If the time has come to change your international passport, and you do not want to change the spelling of your first and last name according to the new requirements, then it is possible to leave the old version. In this case, you will need to spend a little more time and write a corresponding application. Such a right is given by Order No. 211 issued by the FMS in 2014, or more precisely, its paragraph 28.

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The application must be written in free form, but there is an important point here - indicating the reason why the citizen wants to leave the previous spelling. Such a basis may be a document issued in the name and surname of a citizen in the old spelling. The following are considered significant:

• open visa;
• residence permit from another state;
• marriage certificate concluded with a foreigner;
• documents on education at a foreign university.

In order for the responsible authority to have the right to retain the old spelling, a copy of one of the specified documents must be submitted along with the application.

Transliteration rules: how to determine if there is an error in personal data?

Cyrillic letters are translated into letters of the Latin alphabet in accordance with the approved transliteration rules. They are translated by a special program, so mistakes are almost impossible.

True, there is one nuance here. New transliteration rules in Russia were adopted in 2014, so in foreign passports issued earlier, some surnames and first names may be written differently. For ordinary travelers this is not particularly important. But people engaged in entrepreneurial activities or owning real estate abroad need to be more careful.

To keep the old spelling in the new international passport, it is enough to draw up an application in any form and submit to the Main Directorate for Migration the supporting document: a previously issued international passport, residence permit, birth or marriage certificate received in a foreign country.

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Possible difficulties

It would seem not so difficult to rewrite personal data into English in the form of transliteration, but certain difficulties may still arise. At the same time, many are worried about what will happen if there are differences in spelling with other documents or errors are discovered. People have heard about problems if just one letter in documents does not match.

If an error is found

When receiving a passport, it is very important to check whether all the data in it is correct, first and foremost your first and last name. If an error is found in the spelling of letters in the Latin alphabet, then you should look for a statement that contains the original data. Depending on the detected result, the following actions are possible:

1. The applicant made a mistake - it is his own fault and he changes his passport at his own expense. Collects documents, pays fees, waits for production.
2. The employee made a mistake - the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs replies. In this case, officials are required to issue a new document within 2 hours. True, this only applies to paper passports. There is no need to provide new documents, nor do you need to repay the fee. All you need is a photo. If you are applying for a biometric passport, you will not be able to receive it earlier than in a week. All due to technical manufacturing features.

Important! You cannot use a passport with your fingerprints and even one letter written incorrectly. Such documents are considered invalid.

The most common mistakes:

• missing letter;
• extra letter;
• spelling error.

The name is written differently in the documents

If the foreign passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation and his visa have different spellings of his first and last names, then problems will not arise. This also applies to other documents with differences. This is only relevant if the differences are due to the application of new transliteration rules. Once the old passport expires, it will be replaced with a new one with the correct spelling. The same applies to documents and bank cards.

Procedure for detecting errors

If an error is detected on the territory of the Russian Federation

In the event that an error is made due to the applicant incorrectly indicating the necessary information when filling out the application, it is necessary to re-apply to the Main Department of Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with an application for the issuance of a foreign passport, collect the necessary documents and pay the state fee.

If an error is made by an employee of the department, who is obliged, among other things, to check the compliance of the data specified in the application with the submitted document, it is necessary:

1. Submit an application to the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the issuance of a new passport due to an error in the document received.
2. Provide one photo (when applying for an old-style passport).

When a new international passport of an old sample is issued, the international passport with an error is canceled and the “Cancelled” stamp is placed on it.

There is no need to re-submit documents or pay state fees.

To obtain an old-style passport, the applicant provides only 1 photograph. A new passport must be produced no more than 2 hours after submitting the photo (clause 165 of the Administrative Regulations, approved by Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated November 17, 2017 No. 864).

If a photo is provided through the MFC, a new passport is issued no less than 2 hours after the photo is transferred by MFC employees.

Information about the cancellation of a foreign passport is entered by an employee of the GUVM unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs into the departmental program “Mir”, and the canceled passport is transferred to the employee appointed responsible for the destruction of passports.

To produce a new passport with electronic media, the passport with an error and the necessary documents are transferred within 3 days to an employee authorized to prepare materials for issuing a new biometric passport.

Table 1. Replacement of a foreign passport with an error due to the fault of an agency employee

Important! A technical defect is incorrect lamination, unreadability of document details, presence of corrections, damage to passport pages!

If an error is detected abroad

If an error in your international passport is detected abroad, you must contact the consulate of the Russian Federation and obtain a certificate certifying the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation in order to avoid misunderstandings when crossing the border.

Transliteration when booking and purchasing air tickets abroad

When ordering a ticket you must follow these rules:

1. If your international passport was issued after March 2021, then you just need to rewrite your first and last name as shown in the document.
2. If it was issued before March 2021, then it also fits in as it appears. In this case, the data from the official document is more important than the current transliteration rules.

Important! Not all airlines are tolerant of discrepancies between first and last names in your passport and ticket.

When filling out a ticket order application, it is important not to confuse your first and last name and enter this information carefully. The official position of the airlines is the absence of errors and inconsistencies, but in practice, the presence of no more than 3 minor inaccuracies is allowed.

The new transliteration rules cannot be called complex, because there are many online resources and summary tables with new symbolic notations. It is important not to get confused and carefully check the information when filling out applications using a foreign passport.