Talk:Russian passport

Citizenry

How do most Russians feel about having to carry internal passports? It should be included in the article, because quite frankly, it sounds like a hellish situation. 98.221.133.96 (talk) 08:58, 26 July 2008 (UTC)

Actually, the requirement is to carry an ID, not necessarily an internal passport. A foreign (zagranichny) passport would work fine, and a driver's licence. For most people it is simply easier to carry their internal passport. The situation does not seem to be different from that in other countries. Could you explain what's wrong with it in your opinion? Kostiq (talk) 07:25, 6 August 2008 (UTC)

"For most people it is simply easier to carry their internal passport." Uh, ok. We don't have internal passports at all in my country, the USA, and this is true for most of the western world. While things are changing, for the worse in my opinion, there is still no law in the US requiring an "internal passport" of any kind. You actually don't need ID to walk down the street. Are you from Russia? If so, it's fascinating that you seem indifferent to having an internal passport. The whole concept of needing a passport to travel domestically seems so odd to me, and against the ideals of freedom that I find it very bizarre and strange. Just sharing my opinion. None of what I'm saying resonates with you? How do others feel? 98.221.133.96 (talk) 00:23, 14 August 2008 (UTC)

I was never carrying an ID while walking down the streets in Russia - in most cases this is not needed, and actually it seems that it is not compulsory by law. If you travel by train or air, you must have an ID with you - but in the USA, you also need an ID to travel by air, do not you?
The police have the right to request your ID only if you are a crime suspect. I believe this is the same in the USA, isn't it? The problem is that this right is easy to abuse. In Russia, especially in bigger cities, policemen can claim you resemble someone wanted, and place you in custody until your identity is determined (but not longer than for some time which I do not remember now). They would release you from custody for a small amount of money unofficially paid to them.
The problem is thus not in the law, but in the improper conduct of policemen. Identity cards or passports are compulsory in many countries, see List_of_identity_card_policies_by_country. The USA is more like an exception, actually. Kostiq (talk) 12:54, 15 August 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for the response. I guess it was the concept of a passport for internal travel which was so mindblowing to me. To board domestic flights and trains in the US does often require some for of ID these days, but it is requested by the private airline and train companies whose services you are going to use. There is no national ID or domestic passport in the US. I got the impression from this article that you needed an internal passport or some other form of ID in Russia to simply walk down the street. Also, I feel the problem is in both the law and the corruption it allows for. The US, sadly, is also headed in this direction. Now, if you're in Moscow and you want to drive to St. Petersburg, do you need the internal passport? 98.221.133.96 (talk) 00:27, 16 August 2008 (UTC)

Theoretically, not. Practically, I'd take it, just in case. A driving license that you have to carry if you drive would suffice in most cases, though. I agree that the concept of an internal passport is mindblowing; most countries issue only one sort of passport for normal citizens. 212.149.173.205 (talk) 10:49, 19 August 2008 (UTC)

From what I can tell, the name is more of a holdover from the Soviet era and there is really not a great different between the internal passport and a citizen ID, and contrary to what 98 said, quite a large chunk of the western world do have citizen IDs and it is often compulsory to carry this ID or some other form of ID. It's really only in the anglophone Western world that IDs seem unusual. I suggest people take a look at Identity document. Whether or not you agree with this practice, wikipedia isn't the place to discuss Nil Einne (talk) 23:33, 28 September 2008 (UTC)

Actually, Wikipedia is an excellent place to discuss this. If what you say is true, that "internal passport" is a misnomer and the document is more eqivalent to an ID document, then it should be sourced and clarified in the article. 'Internal passport' seems to imply one needs a visa and formal permission to travel throughout their native land, (i.e. freedom of movement doesn't exist). And. as this is English language Wikipedia, most readers are probably from "the anglophone Western world [where] IDs seem unusual." 98.221.133.96 (talk) 13:27, 30 September 2008 (UTC)

Question

"Russian citizens who move abroad and decide to give up their Russian residency must surrender their internal passport to their local Russian consulate." - is this information really correct? - as far as i know, nobody has to surender their internal passport anymore, they are valid until the expiration date (i.e the holder reaches age 20 or 45). I checked purposely the sites of russian embassies and none of them mentions that - all they require is a stamp on the adress page saying the registration as resident in russia is void. Did some of the authors have to surrender their passport themselves, and when? (I didn't undergo the procedure yet, but when i contacted the consulate they didn't say anything about this either). —Preceding unsigned comment added by Zhvr (talk • contribs) 00:24, 11 January 2008 (UTC)

I think you are right. You need to submit your internal passport as part of the application to give up residency, but it seems they are supposed to return the passport to you at the end.Tetromino (talk) 00:12, 25 February 2008 (UTC)

I have removed Zimbabwe off the Visa on Arrival list. This information was not correct. Please do not information that is not correct.Pryde 01 (talk) 10:01, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

Since June 2007 holders of Russian diplomatic passports can enter the European Union without visas for 90 days. Do you believe this should be mentioned? Kostiq (talk) 06:01, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

If you have a source for this : Yes ! Passportguy (talk) 11:05, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

There is an agreement [1] between the European Union and Russia. Its article 11 tells that "1. Citizens of the Russian Federation or the Member States, holders of valid diplomatic passports may enter, leave and transit through the territories of the Member States or the Russian Federation without visas." The problem is that when one checks websites of consulates and ministries of foreign affairs, there is no mentioning of this fact. For example, Estonian embassy [2] does not list Russia as a country whose diplomatic passports are accepted for visa-free entry. Kostiq (talk) 15:01, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

It may be that this treaty has not been implemented yet. In that case you'll need to wait until that happens in order to add the info to the page. Passportguy (talk) 15:04, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

The treaty has been in force and implemented since June 1 2007. I will add those countries on whose websites visa-free entry for Russian diplomatic passport holders is mentioned. Kostiq (talk) 15:24, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

If the treaty is indeed in force and ratified by all 27 member states, then you can add all of them sice this is a treaty between the EU as a whole and Russia. However do check that the treaty has been ratified by all states. Passportguy (talk) 15:29, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

Transcaucasia

Moved the three Transcaucasian republics - Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia - to Asia, because no matter what historic, cultural or other reasons, geographically those countries are in Asia. Also removed Abkhazia and South Ossetia from the list altogether - they are not countries, not the ones recognized by the world community.