Guidance

Russia: Knowledge Base profile

Published 8 May 2024

Version 2.0

About: Russia

This document contains useful information about Russia which will assist His Majesty’s Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

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Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 2.0
• published for Home Office staff on 30 April 2024

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with minor formatting changes.

Russia: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Russia.

Names in Russia follow a naming convention and consist of a:

• first name
• patronymic name (derives from the name of the father)
• surname

If foreign national parents want two first names or to omit father’s (patronymic) name, they need to notify the Civil Registration Office (ZAGS) providing the official information note from British Embassy Moscow explaining British naming tradition.

Change of name

Russia does not accept UK documents to change a child’s name. A child’s name can be changed through the joint application of both parents in Russia to the Russia Guardianship authorities if a child is under 14 years of age.

The second parent’s consent may be waived if the parent cannot be located, neglects their parental responsibility, parents are not married, or parenthood has not been established.

If the child is ten years of age or above, their consent for their name change is also required.

To change their adult name a Russia citizen aged 14 or above must apply for a Change of Name certificate. This can be done at a Russia Embassy or Consulate if they are overseas. The certificate will show the name in the nearest transliteration from Latin to Cyrillic script. Once a certificate of name change is issued, it is not possible to get a replacement internal or international Russia passport in the old name. New passports of both types in the new name have to be applied for.

The same applies to the surname change following marriage registration, where the new surname is stated on the marriage certificate.

Name alignment

There are two types of passports issued in Russia, including an:

• internal passport; issued by the Ministry of Interior and must be amended in person in Russia
• international passport; can be amended at any Russia embassy or consulate outside of Russia

The international passport is the only document that can be used for travel outside Russia. The details on this passport must align with the customer’s British passport application.

Internal Russia passports show the holder’s name in Cyrillic, and international Russia passports show the holder’s name in both Cyrillic and Latin as Cyrillic text cannot be removed. HM Passport Office will not ask the customer to align their Russia passport:

• if the variation in name is due to transliteration of the Cyrillic characters into Latin script
• to show the patronymic name in Latin script (because this is not possible in Russia passports)
• when the customer holds a further patronymic middle name (as these are not shown on Russia passports)

It can take up to 6 months for a customer to renew their Russia passport online following a change of name.

Customers who hold both British and Russian nationality can experience difficulty getting their name aligned on their Russia passport, as well as getting letters from the Russia authorities to support UK passport document purposes.

Russia: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Russia.

Dual nationality is legal but not recognised in Russia.

The exception to this is with Tajikistan and Belarus.

Russia: legitimacy and parental responsibility

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy and parental responsibility in Russia.

Legitimacy

Russia does not recognise a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births. This means that all births are considered legitimate whether a child’s parents are married or not.

Parental responsibility

Parental responsibility is shared between both parents as long as they are included in the child’s birth certificate. The exception to this is if one of the parents has their parental responsibility removed by the court.

Russia: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Russia.

Adoption is legal in Russia. Restrictions apply for adoption by foreign nationals.

Russia: surrogacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in Russia.

Surrogacy is legal in Russia for opposite sex couples where at least one commissioning parent holds Russian nationality. Surrogacy is illegal for foreign national couples or single foreign nationals.

Russia: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Russia.

Transgender citizens are not recognised in Russia. Changing gender is illegal in Russia.

Russia: civil partnerships and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriage in Russia.

Civil partnerships and same sex relationships are not recognised in Russia.

Russia: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information documents from Russia.

The Civil Registration Office (ZAGS) is responsible for the registration of:

• births
• adoptions
• surrogacy
• marriages
• deaths

Birth certificates

Births must be registered within 1 month after the birth. Late registrations are allowed.

Where a mistake is identified the birth certificate will be reissued.

There are three types of hospital records which all state the birth mother’s name, child’s gender and date of birth: 

• medical birth certificate
• obmennaya karta (pre-natal record)
• rodovoy certificate (pregnancy insurance certificate) which also includes a separate column to record any medical conditions of the mother and child

If a child’s parents are not married, a father’s name can be added to the child’s birth certificate at the father’s request or after paternity has been confirmed. An additional fatherhood certificate is also issued alongside the child’s birth certificate.

A ZAGS birth certificate can show the commissioning or adoptive parent’s name without reference to the birth parent if registration is done following Russia law.

Marriage certificates

Marriages may be registered within 1 month from the date of the request submission. This can take place sooner under certain circumstances.

Marriage certificates will record the surname to be used by each party after the wedding. Both the internal and international Russia passports are required to be updated with the new name.

Divorce certificates

The divorce certificates state the surname the person will take after divorce. Where a change of name occurs both the internal and international Russia passport are required to be updated with the new name.

Death certificates

Death certificates are issued once a death registration has been received.

Identity documents

Russia has 2 types of passports:

• Internal passport; issued by the Ministry of Interior and only used within Russa for identity purposes
• international passport; issued by the Ministry of Interior within Russia or by a Russia diplomatic mission abroad and is normally the only document that can be used by Russia citizens for travel outside Russia

There are four countries where a Russia citizen can travel to on their internal passport:

• Armenia
• Belarus
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan

Marital status and registration are shown in internal passports only.

It is illegal for foreign nationals to live in Russia on an expired foreign passport without a valid visa. If a passport is cancelled and there is still a current Russia visa in that passport, the visa becomes invalid.