According to the latest media information, the promising bill on transferring the population to a plastic passport has again been postponed until 2021. A proposal to introduce a multifunctional electronic ID, combining several documents, was submitted for discussion in the Duma back in 2012.
But for 7 years now the legal norm has been in an uncertain state. In turn, the majority of Russians are ready to receive a modern passport. But is it worth hoping?
A pilot project to introduce electronic passports was planned since 2015 in Crimea, Krasnodar and Rostov-on-Don.
Replacing a regular passport with a plastic ID
The government once again planned to implement the project for the mandatory transition of the population to a universal ID card in 2018. The process was supposed to start after the presidential elections in March. But the program was postponed for another three years.
Some websites have information that plastic passports will begin to be issued on January 1, 2021. There is no official confirmation of this and no decisions from official representatives. Due to the second wave of coronavirus, there are no plans to introduce these innovations at the beginning of 2021.
Since development began, some technologies have already become outdated. For example, in 2021, the universal electronic card (UEC) from Sberbank (prototype ID card) ceased to be issued. And also, “PRO100” terminals (a system that could become a payment system in the Russian Federation) have practically ceased to be used.
Developers have to keep up with the times, given the rapid process of technological development. At the same time, taking into account the low mobility of Russians, which delays the transition of the population to ID cards. But also, more information about the new product is needed. Perhaps citizens will show interest in the new passport.
According to the developers, the electronic identifier will replace several documents, such as:
- driver's license;
Driving license, sample
- TIN;
Sample TIN certificate
- SNILS;
Sample SNILS
- bank card;
- biometric data.
From 2021, it is planned to issue new passports for persons born in 1974 and 1999, upon reaching the age categories of 45 and 20 years. A new document will also be issued to citizens who have changed their last name. If the implementation date of the program is not postponed again, the country’s population will completely switch to plastic passports by 2030.
ID passport production time
The time for producing a plastic passport is planned to be in the range of 10 days. This is the same period as when producing a valid version of the ID. However, the standard period is applicable if the document is executed at the place of registration.
Upon receipt of the document at the actual address of residence, the procedure will take 2 months. The extension of the period is due to a request for information about the applicant at his place of official residence.
Thanks to a wide range of communication channels with departments, it is possible to find out about the readiness or progress of the passport production process: on the State Services website, by phone, after notification by e-mail, or during a personal visit to the manufacturer’s organization. When issuing an ID card to the applicant, the department employee will remove the paper version of the passport from circulation.
ID cards for children under 14 years old
The transition of the population to modern identity cards will affect children under 14 years of age. Parents (guardians) will handle the registration, since minors do not have legal rights.
According to the regulations of the new bill on passportization, ID cards will be issued immediately after the issuance of a birth certificate for a newborn.
You can find out how the citizenship of a newborn is currently processed and obtained by following this link.
Example of a Belgian ID card for a child
To do this, legal representatives should contact the office for issuing the identity card and submit the following documents:
- application of the established type;
- birth certificate;
- check for payment of state duty.
At first, a photograph for a child under 14 years old will not be needed. In the future, parents will be required to take photographs of children from the age of 6. Minors aged 14–18 years will issue ID cards as adult citizens, but in the presence of their parents.
Passport as a document
Once upon a time, the people who inhabited Russia had no documents at all, and this did not prevent them from starting families, having children, paying tribute, etc. With the emergence of new responsibilities to the state and the establishment of human rights, the need arose to take into account the population. This would make it possible to collect taxes, pay pensions, and find lawbreakers. The result was a human identity identifier.
Now every citizen who has reached the age of 14 and lives in the Russian Federation is required to have a passport and change this document at least twice upon reaching 20 and 45 years of age.
During the existence of the state, passport samples were modified several times. The difference between the new document and its predecessor is the presence of a machine-readable entry on the 3rd page. The form has not undergone any changes, the number of pages and colors of the document remain the same.
In Russia, even teenagers know what a Russian passport is. Foreigners applying for Russian citizenship need to figure this out, because most countries use a different identification system.
What information is included in the passport?
The current description of the passport was published in the new edition of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated July 8, 1997 No. 828. Thus, the third page of the document is reserved for entering information about the identity of its owner. A photo of the citizen is pasted on the left side of the page, and the right side contains 6 main blocks of information made by offset printing: full name of the document owner, his gender, as well as date and place of birth.
This information and data regarding the place of issue, the validity period of the document, etc., are duplicated in the above-mentioned machine-readable record, consisting of two lines of 44 characters. This code speeds up data processing when processing documents or receiving government services.
Read more about what other information is included in the contents of a Russian passport.
Marks in the passport
According to the above-mentioned resolution, the following pages of the passport are allocated for special marks:
- Page 5–12 - on registration / deregistration of the owner of the document. Although many believe that now the institution of registration no longer has the same importance as before, you should not shy away from registering.
- Page 13 - about the attitude towards military service.
- Page 14 and 15 - about marital status (registration/divorce.
- Page 16 and 17 - about children (their gender, full name, date of birth and personal code are indicated).
- Page 18 and 19 - about the identification code (TIN), obtaining a foreign passport and other documents identifying the owner outside the Russian Federation. At the request of the passport holder, you can also put a mark on your blood type and Rh factor here.
Find out in more detail what opportunities registration in your passport provides.
And also read more about how to include a child in the parents’ passport.
Marks are made only by employees of authorized services - registration authorities, military commissariats, migration and tax authorities.
What data is prohibited from entering into a passport?
Sometimes passport holders, without relying on their memory, write down important information on its pages - telephone numbers, credit card PIN. They say you always have your passport with you, so you can use the necessary information at any time.
It must be taken into account that no marks or entries not specified in the Passport Regulations can be made in this document. As representatives of the migration service have repeatedly informed Russians, the presence of children's drawings, numbers and other information will lead to the fact that the passport will lose its validity. This will allow an experienced lawyer to cancel, for example, a real estate purchase/sale transaction, arguing that it was concluded under an invalid document.
When do you receive a modern ID?
Guided by the law, a citizen will have to change his ID card every 10 years. But there are other reasons for obtaining a new passport:
- age periods: 14, 20, 45 years;
- data error during passport production;
- change of surname, gender;
- entering other desired information into the electronic chip;
- loss or theft of a plastic passport.
Due to the fact that information about a citizen is contained in an electronic chip, in the event of theft, you must call the Main Department of Migration Services or the MFC, and the passport will be blocked. The owner will have to go through the registration procedure again to receive a duplicate.
On what grounds is it possible to replace a passport?
According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, a citizen must within 30 days begin measures to replace a passport if the following events occur:
- reaching 20 or 45 years of age;
- change of passport data;
- significant changes in appearance;
- gender change;
- detection of an error in a previously issued document;
- unsuitability of the passport due to mechanical damage.
Read in detail about in what other cases a passport replacement may be required.
What will the ID passport look like?
Despite statements by officials about the start of electronic passportization of the population in 2021, the final design of the ID card has not been approved. It is known that the plastic passport will be issued on the front and back sides.
Design option for a universal electronic card
The appearance is similar to bank cards. The color scheme is expected to be gray, white and golden. Integrated electronic chip designed to store confidential data:
- biometrics;
- place of residence;
- Family status;
- blood type;
- other personal information.
Design option for a universal electronic card
The person’s photo will be located in the left field of the “plastic”. The center of the passport is planned to be dedicated to information about the citizen. It will indicate here: full name, year of birth, place of residence, passport validity.
Design option for a universal electronic card
In addition to the main photo, small laser-cut digital photos will be placed on both sides. It is planned to include the inscription “Certificate of a citizen of the Russian Federation” in the header of the card. On the reverse side there will be: department code and machine-readable lines.
What does a passport look like?
Citizens of the Russian Federation must receive identical Russian passports. The format is the same for everyone, regardless of age, gender, region in which the citizen lives. Exceptions are made only for republics that are part of the Russian Federation. It is allowed that they supplement the passports of their residents with inserts with the coat of arms of the republic.
Otherwise, passports issued in different parts of the Russian Federation look completely identical.
Many foreigners planning to obtain citizenship of the Russian Federation are interested in what kind of passport is in Russia and what their future document should look like. The passport has a “booklet” format measuring 88 x 125 mm . The cover is made in a burgundy shade. Another distinctive feature of the cover is that it features a golden embossed coat of arms of the Russian Federation , as well as the inscriptions “ Russian Federation ” and “ Passport ”. See the photo for a sample.
The cover of the document features the country's coat of arms
By the way, although the cover looks simple, it is made of special material designed for long-term use. Therefore, damaging it is not as easy as it might seem at first glance.
Advantages of a biometric electronic passport
Most developed countries have a long history of using ID cards. The usefulness and convenience of an electronic personal identifier has been proven by practice. What benefits do Russians expect from switching to plastic passports:
- Comfort – since you don’t have to carry a basic package of documents with you. All papers entered into the chip’s memory will have legal force, just like the originals.
- The ability to make payments is thanks to the built-in bank chip, which can duplicate bank card transactions.
- Security – a plastic passport promises to be more secure compared to its paper counterpart. PIN codes and activation via SMS are just two levels of built-in protection. After loss, just call the MFC and block your lost or stolen ID-passport. At the same time, the process of issuing a duplicate promises to be accelerated.
- A decrease in the level of crime is due to the introduction of plastic passports into circulation. It will be much more difficult for fraudsters to use other people's personal data to commit crimes.
- Remote maintenance – thanks to built-in electronic signature. Citizens will have a wider opportunity to deal with paperwork and purchase and sale via the Internet.
- Relieving the workload of departmental authorities - as the number of visitors will decrease. The more the population begins to practice remote methods of relationship with the government, the less workload employees will have to work with clients.
- Increased authority in the international arena is a consequence of the modernization of the nation.
The fate of banking payment systems in the Russian Federation remains unknown. In the course of threats of disconnection from SWIFT, Russian banks may have to switch to national systems. This may make adjustments to the development of ID cards, which will take some time.
Advantages of a Russian passport
Holders of a Russian ID can legally enjoy the numerous benefits of the document. Every citizen has the right to official employment and social services. Additional advantages include:
- legal registration of the company;
- no need for visas to visit 105 countries;
- free health insurance;
- the opportunity to receive free preschool, primary, secondary and higher education;
- full suffrage;
- availability of opportunities for senior positions in state-owned companies.
The list of benefits is not exhaustive. Many immigrants receive the right to return to their historical homeland. As for the citizens themselves, they can move freely throughout the country.
