International passport through the MFC: how to apply for it in 2021

Read on to learn how to apply for a foreign passport to go beyond the usual and take your trips to the next level. By and large, the price of a foreign passport is measured not only in rubles, which must be paid for the state fee: it is a magic key to all doors!

With an internal Russian passport, you will only be able to travel in Abkhazia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. And if you quickly apply for a foreign visa, you will be able to travel around a hundred countries without the hassle of obtaining visas. To do this, you need about half an hour to fill out an application on the Internet. Then all you have to do is “drop into the institution” a couple of times at most - and before you is a cosmos of possibilities.

Travelers are having a hard time this year. But, fortunately, tourism news is no longer limited to the chronicles of coronavirus. Don’t stop dreaming about new travels, and we will always tell you how to apply for a foreign passport, find cheap air tickets, resolve all related issues and make your next vacation unforgettable.

Which international passport is better to apply for: old or new? Pros and cons of both options

A biometric international passport (also known as a new generation passport of a new type) has a built-in chip with your photo and passport data. This means that the border guard will not spend a long time tapping on the keys to enter data, but will attach your passport to the scanner and let you through faster.

The new passport is valid twice as long as the old one - 10 years, and it also has more pages. The state fee for issuing a foreign passport with electronic media is 5,000 rubles or 3,500 rubles if you pay online at State Services. But you will go on dates with the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs twice as often.

Disadvantage: children cannot be included in a biometric passport , which means that separate passports must be issued for them.

How much does a passport cost?

The cost of an old-style international passport is 2,000 rubles for an adult, 1,400 rubles for a child under 14 years old. It’s cheaper to apply at State Services: 1,400 and 700 rubles, respectively.

The price of a foreign passport with biometrics (new generation passport) is 5,000 rubles for adults, 2,500 rubles for children under 14 years of age. To save money, apply through State Services: then a new foreign passport for an adult will cost 3,500 rubles, and for children - 1,750 rubles.

If you choose based on how much a passport costs, it is more profitable to get a passport for five years: it is 2.5 times cheaper.

Which passport to choose

What foreign country and how many pagesHow long does it last?State duty when paying at a bank / on the State Services website with a 30% discountOld-style international passport, 36 pages 5 years adults: 2000 / 1400 rub. children under 14 years old: 1400 / 700 rub. Biometric passport, 46 pages 10 years old adults: 5000 / 3500 rub. children under 14 years old: 2500 / 1750 rub.

In what cases is it worth applying for an old-style international passport?

• You are getting married soon and are going to change your last name. You will still have to redo the documents, but at least this way you will spend less money on state fees.

• Want to save money? A family of two adults and a 15-year-old child will spend 4,200 rubles on old-style international passports if they pay the fee online. But even if you know how to get a new passport with a 30% discount, it will cost 2.5 times more than the old one (10,500 rubles).

• Are you going to add it to your child's passport? Children are still included in a regular international passport, unlike a biometric one. This means that they can travel abroad using the same passport as their parent.

• Making a passport for a child. Children quickly cease to look like their passport photos. Most often, border guards do not have any questions, even if the child is 4 years old, and in the photo - 1 month. But many parents decide to play it safe and change their passport every 2-3 years. In this case, again, pay attention to how much the old and new generation passports cost. It is more profitable for a child to get a five-year-old foreign passport: it is cheaper.

What is a biometric passport?

The issuance of passports with a chip containing a person's biometric data was a natural response to the terrorist attack in 2001. The very next year, 2002, more than 200 states signed the New Orleans Agreement. Russia began to implement its provisions in an experimental mode in 2009, and already in 2010, every citizen of the Russian Federation could receive such a passport.

It is worth noting that not all biometric data is “sewn” into the passport, but only the papillary patterns of the two index fingers.

If there are no index fingers, fingerprints are taken from the little, ring or middle fingers.

The iris of the eye and the temperature map of the face are not reflected in the microcircuit of the Russian foreign passport.

The procedure for scanning biometric data takes only one minute and takes place in comfortable conditions: no dirty hands after ink as after the usual fingerprinting - the finger pattern is recorded by the scanner.

How much does a foreign passport take and how to apply for a foreign passport not based on registration

Are you wondering how to get a passport faster? This does not depend on the type of passport: obtaining a foreign passport of the old and new type occurs in the same time frame. Here's how long it takes:

• 1 month - if you submit documents at your place of registration;
• 4 months - if you submit documents at the place of stay or actual residence (and not at the place of registration).

Let's say you are registered in Moscow, but live in St. Petersburg and apply for a foreign passport there. In this situation, you will receive it within 120 days (four months). In any case, apply for a passport at least six months before your trip. Then you will do everything without hassle and have time to buy cheap air tickets.

What documents are needed for registration abroad?

You will collect all the documents in one evening. You don’t even have to have your work book certified by the accounting department, as before. This is what is required to obtain a passport.

List of documents for a foreign passport

Documents for obtaining a foreign passport for adults (over 18 years old):

• passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
• color or black and white photograph (it must be uploaded electronically to Gosuslugi);
• a foreign passport, if you already have one and its validity has not expired;
• military ID or certificate from the military registration and enlistment office - for men from 18 to 27 years old;
• permission from the command - for military personnel with the exception of those serving on conscription;
• certificate of change of surname, name or patronymic - for those who have changed them.

What documents are needed to apply for a foreign passport for children under 14 years of age:

• birth certificate;
• color or black and white photography;
• passport of a Russian citizen of a legal representative (most often this is a parent);
• a document certifying that the child is a citizen of the Russian Federation. This can be a) his international passport, b) the parent’s Russian passport, which contains information about the child, c) a birth certificate with an insert or stamp on citizenship;
• act of the guardianship and trusteeship authority - if guardianship has been established over the child.

How to obtain a foreign passport for children from 14 to 18 years old (full package of documents):

• birth certificate;
• color or black and white photography;
• passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
• passport of a Russian citizen of the legal representative;
• act of the guardianship and trusteeship authority - if guardianship has been established over the child.

International passport through MFC for a child

Sometimes you need to make a document for a child to travel abroad. A document of this type is required for a child under 14 years of age, and after reaching this age it will be necessary to change the passport to an adult version. It is quite possible to obtain a foreign passport for children through the MFC and you will need the following documents for this:

• passport of the parent or legal representative;
• child's birth certificate;
• adult military ID (for adult male citizens under 27 years of age);
• receipt for transfer of state duty.

Experts advise issuing old-style passports for children, since children grow up and then the document will still have to be changed to another. When applying for an old-style foreign passport, you can enter the data of children under 14 years of age.

Children over 14 years of age are the holders of a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation and the application is filled out using another form, which can be downloaded here. The package of documents is submitted by the legal representative.

How to fill out an application for a foreign passport on the State Services website

I know how to fill out an application for a foreign passport at State Services. Skip ahead.

Skyscanner's step-by-step instructions will tell you how to apply for a foreign passport in half an hour from your favorite sofa

An application for a foreign passport can be submitted in person at a unit of the Main Directorate for Migration Issues of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (GUVM MIA) or at the Multifunctional Center (MFC). But it’s easier to “skip” this stage and fill out an application on the State Services website. It will take half an hour and you won't have to stand in line. Here's what you need for this:

1. First, register with Gosuslugi.
   Previously, this was a rather tedious procedure, but now you can do it in one day. You need a verified account. To receive it, fill in all the data (full name, passport details, phone number, email address, SNILS) and wait for automatic verification, usually 15 minutes. Then confirm your identity: the fastest way is to go to the nearest Service Center yourself - it’s free and takes another 5 minutes plus time to get there. You can also wait for the activation code by mail or use an electronic signature. As soon as your account on State Services is confirmed, you can apply for a foreign passport. Each adult needs a separate account on the State Services website. A husband cannot apply for a foreign passport for his wife through his account, and vice versa. But any parent can apply for a foreign passport for minor children in their account.
2. On the State Services website, click on the desired type of passport.
   At this stage, you can choose which foreign passport you want to receive: a biometric one for 10 years or a regular one for 5 years.
3. Select who the passport is for:
   Indicate who the passport will belong to: an adult over 18 years old, a teenager 14–18 years old, or a child under 14 years old.
4. Log in to “State Services”
5. Select “Electronic service”
   This is to avoid jostling in queues. In this case, you can fill out the form and send an application for a foreign passport while sitting at home at your computer. Then click on the “Get service” button.
6. The first two points of the visa application form (personal and passport data) are filled in automatically.
   Do you see empty fields? Then go to your personal account and enter the missing data there. After 5-10 minutes, when the robots check them, return to your application for a foreign passport: everything should be filled out.
7. If you changed your last name, first name or patronymic, select “Yes.”
   Then enter the previous full name and date of change. In the “place of change” column, indicate the city - for example, St. Petersburg.
8. Enter second citizenship
   If available. If there is no second citizenship, answer that way.
9. Choose where you will apply for your passport.
   Place of residence is where you are registered. There you will get your passport in 1 month. Your place of stay is where you have temporary registration. Place of actual residence - where you live without registration. In these cases, obtaining a foreign passport will take 4 months. The registration address will load itself, fill in the rest manually.
10. Upload your black and white or color photo.
    You can take it at home by covering the wall with a white sheet and waiting for daylight - for example, on the weekend. The requirements for the photo are standard: full face, with eyes open, against a white background. Formats - JPEG, PNG, BMP. When loading, zoom in or out on the photo using the “+” and “–” keys so that the shoulders, eyes and top of the head are at the desired level. This photo is only needed for the application form. For your passport, you will have a special photograph taken at the MFC or at the department of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where you will submit the original documents.
11. Select the type of obtaining a foreign passport
    • primary - this is when you receive a foreign passport for the first time; • in addition to the existing one - if you have a valid passport and want to apply for a second one; • to replace the used one - in case of expiration of the previous foreign passport; • to replace a damaged one - if the child drew a portrait of his grandmother in his passport; • to replace a lost one - after the loss or theft of a foreign passport. Mark the purpose of obtaining a foreign passport - for temporary travel (on vacation, on a business trip) or for permanent residence (for example, you decided to move to another country). If you already have a valid foreign passport, enter its details.
12. Describe your activities over the last 10 years.
    For each place of study, work or service, indicate the month and year of beginning and end, position, name of the company (educational institution, place of service) and legal address. If you have not worked for more than a month, enter your permanent residence address in the “Enter address” field. To increase the number of fields, click Add Data. The work book is not included in the list of required documents for applying for a foreign passport, that is, you do not need to bring it with you to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. But the work data must correspond to what is written in the labor contract.
13. Answer questions about access to privacy
    and also indicate whether you have any other contractual obligations that prevent you from traveling abroad, criminal records, court restrictions or military obligations.
14. Select where you will submit the documents.
    You will need to bring the originals there.
15. Carefully check everything that you wrote in the form
    and then check two boxes and click “Submit”.

The application for a foreign passport at State Services has been completed. What's next?

You will receive an email or SMS (your choice) informing you that your application has been accepted. Then you will receive a letter with a receipt for payment of the state fee.

How much a foreign passport costs depends on the type: a biometric one is more expensive than a regular one, but it also lasts longer. Pay directly on the State Services website or at a branch of any bank - it doesn’t have to be Sberbank.

In a few days, you will be invited by email to the selected branch of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the MFC. Take the original documents with you, they will be listed in the letter from State Services. Theoretically, you don’t have to take the receipt for payment of the state duty, but it’s better to take it with you - it’s more reliable.

On the spot, an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will double-check everything and take a photograph of you. You must come within 6 months from the date of receipt of your application.

When your passport is ready (after 1–4 months), you will receive a letter again. If you are worried, go to the website of the Main Directorate of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and check there whether your passport is ready.

Is it possible to include a child in a parent’s passport?

Children cannot be included in a biometric passport. If you have a biometric passport for 10 years, you will have to issue a separate passport for a child - even a very small one.

Children under 14 years of age are included in the old-style international passport. A child can travel abroad without his or her passport if he is registered with his parent (guardian) and they are traveling together. Please note that trips to the sea with your grandmother will have to be postponed until the child has his own foreign passport.

By entering your child into your passport, you will not save on visas. Most countries issue a separate visa for children, even if they do not have their own passport. The child's visa is pasted into the parent's passport.

How to add information about children to an old-style international passport

Since children are included only in the borders of the old generation, there can be two scenarios of action.

First scenario: you don’t have a passport

1. Enter information about your children when filling out the application form for a foreign passport at State Services.
2. Submit to the nearest unit of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the MFC the documents that will be listed in the letter from State Services.
3. Wait until your passport is ready: your children will already be registered.

Second scenario: you have a valid old-style international passport

1. Pay the state fee for “making changes to the passport identifying the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation outside the territory of the Russian Federation” - 500 rubles. If you include several children in one passport, the fee does not change. A receipt for payment can be obtained from the MFC or from the department of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Or download it from the Ministry of Internal Affairs website: enter your information and the type of state duty, print the receipt and pay at any bank.

1. Collect documents:

• your Russian citizen passport,
• your old-style international passport,
• receipt of payment of state duty,
• child's birth certificate,
• a document certifying that the child is a citizen of the Russian Federation, for example, a birth certificate with a stamp or insert about citizenship,
• 3 color or black and white photographs of the child on a white background, size - 3.5 by 4.5 cm.

1. Submit documents at the nearest MFC or department of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. On the spot you will be asked to fill out an application to make changes to your passport - it’s not difficult.

1. Pick up your completed passport in 2-3 weeks.

Old-style international passport at the MFC

The process of obtaining an old-style international passport through the MFC is not too different from the method already described, with some nuances. In addition, such a document is cheaper than a new form of passport, but is valid for only 5 years. To obtain a document, you will have to submit a standard application and attach the necessary documents to it.

How long does it take to get a foreign passport?

The production time for such a document is standard. For people who apply at their place of registration, the registration time is no more than 30 days, and for people who have permanent registration in another region - up to 120 days.

Documents for an old-style international passport

The documentation package for issuing an old-style passport in 2021 will require the following:

• application of the established form;
• copy of civil passport;
• receipt for payment of state duty;
• copy of the work document;
• old passport (if available);
• three photos 3.5*4.5 cm.

All documents are accepted against signature, and then the client is notified that the passport is ready.

A second passport if you have a first one: why you need it and how to get it

Residents of Russia can simultaneously hold two foreign passports. This law has been in effect since February 2015. An application from your place of work, three flights in and out of the country in three months - all this is no longer needed. Anyone has the right to receive two passports.

How to apply for a foreign passport in addition to the existing one. Features of the second foreign country

• The first and second passports do not duplicate each other. These are two separate documents with different numbers.

• The validity periods of international passports are not related. If you did not receive them at the same time, the second passport will expire later than the first.

• The first passport can be old or new, and the second one can only be biometric.

• How much does a foreign passport cost in addition to the existing one: the same as the first one. For adults - 5,000 rubles, for children under 14 years old - 2,500 rubles. If you pay the state fee at Gosuslugi, you will receive a 30% discount.

• An application for a second international passport can be submitted, just like for the first, at State Services. Only in the “Registration and purpose of receipt” item, select “In addition to the existing one”. This is important: if you choose another option, your first passport will be cancelled. You can also fill out the application in person at the nearest MFC or department of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or if you are currently abroad, then at the Russian consulate.

• While your second visa is being made, the first one is not taken away - and you can use it as usual.

It doesn’t matter how much a passport costs. What’s more important is how many new impressions it will give

6 situations when you need a second passport

1. You often travel abroad and are afraid that you will unexpectedly run out of space in your passport.
2. The first passport has expired, been cancelled, or has run out of blank pages, but still has a valid visa inside. Then some countries (including many Schengen countries) allow entry with two passports: the first with a valid visa and a valid second. To make sure, call the consulate of the desired country. At border control, show the border guard both passports: he will check the visa in the first passport and put a stamp in the second.
3. You travel through countries that are in conflict with each other. In this case, you can use two passports in turn. This way the Azerbaijani border guard will not know that you were in Armenia.
4. Even if you have submitted your foreign passport for a visa, you don’t have to sit at home, but travel using a different passport.
5. If you lose one foreign currency, you will have a second one.
6. You are going abroad for a long time, but the foreign passport ends in a year. Make a second one: it will be valid for another 10 years.

The second passport can only be biometric. Apply for it just like the first one - at State Services. Only in the “Registration and purpose of receipt” item, select “In addition to the existing one”.

How to apply for a foreign passport through the MFC: step-by-step instructions

The procedure for obtaining a foreign passport is quite simple, but experts in this field recommend using special instructions. To obtain a passport at the MFC, you will have to complete the following steps:

1. Make an appointment at the MFC in any convenient way.
2. Prepare the necessary documents in advance and submit them for review by a specialist, along with the application.
3. If everything is in order, the specialist will accept the application and set a date when you can come and pick up the completed passport.

Typically, the procedure takes no more than 10 minutes, which also complies with the regulations for receiving visitors at the MFC.

How to submit documents?

To submit documents and an application for a foreign passport, you will first have to sign up at the MFC to submit an application. This can be done in different ways: virtually (through the MFC website or in State Services) or in person (by taking a coupon at the terminal). There is another option to order a ticket - call the center.

When the visit coupon has been received, all that remains is to wait your turn and submit all the documents to receive an old or new passport, for 10 or 5 years. After receiving the application and documents, the center employee is obliged to issue a corresponding receipt to the applicant.

Check the readiness of the passport

People often ask questions regarding how to check whether a foreign passport has been issued. In fact, this is not difficult to do. Each client has the opportunity to find out about the readiness of their international passport on the MFC portal.

Read more about how to check the readiness of documents at the MFC on the page.

Pick up your passport

Issuing a foreign passport is a responsible undertaking, since the applicant needs to make sure that the form issued is correct.

You can only pick up the document in person by visiting an MFC branch; the receipt issued indicates a preliminary date for the documents to be ready, after which you must appear by appointment at the MFC and receive the document. Upon receipt, you must sign the form confirming receipt of your passport.

How to get a passport quickly: short answers to all questions

How much does a foreign passport cost, how long does it take to obtain a foreign passport, what documents to collect - all these worries pay off in full on your first trip.
In the photo - the Isle of Skye in Scotland How to urgently get a passport? The fastest, easiest and most legal way to get a foreign passport is to submit an application at the State Services, pay the fee and submit the documents to the department. The application form for a foreign passport can be filled out in half an hour on the Gosuslugi.ru website. Then you need to pay the state fee and take the original documents to the department of the Main Directorate for Migration Issues of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (GUVM MIA) or the Multifunctional Center for Public Services (MFC).

Where can I apply for a passport? The most convenient way to do a foreign visa is through State Services: it will be fast, cheap and without queues. You won't have to travel far. Since 2021, all urban districts and regional centers with a population of more than 50,000 people (and not 100,000 people, as before) have an MFC where you can issue both regular and biometric foreign passports. The application is submitted in a convenient form - in person or online.

Which foreigner is better - the new one or the old one? A biometric international passport (new sample) is valid for 10 years and has 46 pages. The state duty is 5,000 rubles or 3,500 rubles if you pay on the State Services website or in their application. Children must obtain separate passports. An old-style international passport is valid for 5 years and has 36 pages. The state duty is 2000 rubles, but there is no point in overpaying. 1,400 rubles - that’s how much a foreign passport without biometrics and a chip costs if you pay for it at State Services. Children are included in the five-year foreign passport. If you are in doubt which passport you need, choose a biometric one. It lasts twice as long as usual, has more pages, and will get you through border control faster.

How much does a foreign passport cost and how can I save on state fees? The cost of a biometric passport now is 5,000 rubles for adults and 2,500 rubles for children under 14 years of age. How much does an old-style international passport cost (five-year, without electronic media): 2000 rubles for one adult. The state fee for a regular foreign passport for a child is 1,000 rubles. Tip for saving on fees: when applying for a foreign passport through the State Services website, there is a 30% discount. That is, here the price of an old-style international passport for 5 years is 1,400 rubles for adults and 700 rubles for children under 14 years of age. Making a biometric passport through State Services is also cheaper: the cost of a 10-year passport is 3,500 rubles for adults and 1,750 rubles for children under 14 years of age.

How long does it take to get a passport? The production time for a foreign passport is 1 month at the place of registration and 4 months at the place of stay.

Is it possible to include a child in a parent’s passport? You can only enter a child into an old-style foreign passport. If parents have a biometric passport valid for 10 years, children, even newborns, need to obtain separate passports.

How to get a passport without a military member? Russian citizens 18–27 years old liable for military service need a military ID to obtain a foreign passport. Or a certificate from the military registration and enlistment office in form 32, confirming that on the day of submitting the application for a foreign passport the citizen is not being called up for military service. If a man does not present a military ID or a certificate in Form 32 voluntarily, FMS employees have the right to independently request this information from the military registration and enlistment office - and the time frame for considering the application for a foreign passport may be delayed. If the military commissariat confirms that the applicant is a conscript, he will be denied a passport. In order not to complicate your life, apply for a ten-year biometric passport before you turn 18 or after you turn 27. University students are given a deferment from the army, and a military ID is also issued in case of health problems. In both of these cases, you can safely apply for a foreign country even at conscription age.

Is it possible to have two passports and why do you need a second passport? Yes, Russians can officially have two valid international passports. You can travel on the second foreign country while the first one is being processed for a visa. Some countries allow entry with two passports: for example, one has expired, but there is Schengen. In this case, at the border control they can check the visa in the first passport and put a stamp in the second. Two more foreign passports allow you to safely travel through countries in conflict with each other and not show the visas and stamps of one of them at the border of another. The second passport can only be biometric. To register it, you need to select the “In addition to existing” option on “Government Services”.

Find out where you can go now!

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Russia is gradually opening its borders with other countries - and travelers are spreading their wings. If you are ready for new adventures, look at which countries you can fly to on vacation!

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How to apply for a new international passport through the MFC?

In this case we are talking about a new biometric passport. The document is made of plastic and has a built-in chip. In the future, the form will store complete information about the holder and will allow you to undergo customs checks at an accelerated pace.

The cost of a new international passport through the MFC is slightly higher than the old form, so it is worth first deciding whether a citizen needs such a document.

From January 2021, according to the Rostec press service, residents of Russia can issue biometric foreign passports in cryptobiocabinas (KBK). After submitting an application for a foreign passport, the user will be given a personal barcode, which must be scanned at the KBK. Next, you need to take a photo yourself, scan your fingerprints and turn your civil passport with a photo (all this also happens in the cabin). The received data is automatically transferred to the state information system “Mir”, after which the document production process starts. You can get a foreign passport at the MFC.

Timeframe for production and issuance of a new international passport

The validity period of such a document is 10 years, but production may require a standard period of time of 30 days. For residents of other regions, this period of time is extended to 120 days.

What documents are needed for a new international passport?

The package of mandatory documentation is standard, with the exception of one point. The applicant will be required to take a passport photo at the MFC and undergo the mandatory fingerprinting procedure. Without this, your passport will not be issued.