Replacing a foreign passport when changing your last name - how to change it in 2021 and is it necessary?

Reasons for replacement

The most common reason for changing a surname is entering into a marriage. Moreover, the surname of the spouse can be borne by both the husband and the wife. However, most often it is a woman who changes her last name. Men are less inclined to make such a choice due to traditional views.

Another similar basis could be the dissolution of a marriage and the return to one of the spouses of the surname that he or she had before the marriage. It is worth noting that after a breakup, many women still keep their ex-husband’s last name. Usually this happens due to a child or a reluctance to start paperwork, because when changing your last name you will have to change not only your passport, but also other important documents.

Also, any citizen of the Russian Federation who has reached the age of majority has the right to change his surname based on personal preferences. Such cases are much less common, but still occur.

Adopting a child is another good reason to change your last name. In this case, the child’s surname changes to the surname of the adoptive parents or one of them, depending on the situation. Find out more about how to change your last name.

Is it possible to fly within Russia using an old general passport?

Yes, you can, but you only have 30 days for this.
This is the deadline set for starting to issue a general passport with new data. For late submission of documents, a fine of 2000–5000 RUB is imposed, depending on the region. Let’s say you submitted your documents, your old passport was taken away, and a new one has not yet been issued at the time of departure. You can use a temporary ID, it is used to sell air tickets. If the reservation was made using a previous passport, its details should be changed to new ones through the airline: you will need scans of the passports and a certificate serving as the basis for changing the surname. Many people use their old foreign passports for domestic flights, which simplifies matters.

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Is it necessary to change your passport when changing your last name?

Often, after changing personal data, people wonder whether it is necessary to change their passport after changing their last name? And in this case the answer is not so clear. If you don’t have a trip soon, you don’t have to rush to replace the document. But if such a possibility still exists, it is better to take care of a replacement.

This way you will avoid problems with obtaining a visa, during which you will need to present both passports - domestic and foreign. Also, replacing your international passport will eliminate possible misunderstandings with border guards if you travel with a minor child. It is worth noting that the success of crossing state borders directly depends on whether you have a valid international passport, issued in accordance with all the rules.

The fact is that it is not allowed to make any changes to the foreign passport that affect the owner’s personal information. Based on the established standards, you should not even think about whether you need to change your international passport after changing your last name in 2021, since no new changes of this kind have been made to the legislation. The innovations for 2021 affected only the type of international passport when changing any personal data.

The situation with replacing a passport in connection with entering into a marriage is a little ambiguous. Once you have a brand new internal passport in your hands, you should think about whether you need to change your international passport after marriage when changing your last name.

In this case, the newlyweds can go on a honeymoon using old documents, if the visa was already ready before marriage or is not required for the selected country. You can take care of replacing your passport after you return.

Validity period of a foreign passport after a last name change

Specific deadlines for replacing a passport based on a change of surname are established only for its general civil type; a foreign passport can be used until the expiration date of its validity. No penalties will be applied to a person who does not replace this document. Nuances can arise only if it is necessary to reconcile internal and foreign passports. Read more about how long a foreign passport is valid after changing your last name.

What can confirm the fact of payment?

The fact of payment is always confirmed by a receipt, which you need to take with you. If payment is made through the website, then the receipt must be printed and saved to your desktop (just in case). A receipt for the paid state fee is included in the package of basic documents , without which the service for obtaining a foreign passport when changing your last name will not be carried out. Today, passport office employees have the opportunity to track received payments independently on the official State Services portal.

We recommend that anyone who needs to replace their international passport when changing their last name read our following articles:

• What is the time frame for replacing a foreign passport when changing your last name and how to find out the readiness of the document?
• Is a passport with a maiden name valid and can I use it?

To summarize, we note that there are several ways to pay the state fee for reissuing a foreign passport in connection with a change of surname. The main thing is to have the correct details on hand and fill out the receipt correctly.

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What type of passport should I apply for?

Since 2021, when changing your surname, one type of registration of a foreign passport has been established.

The old international passport is replaced with a similar one, changed in accordance with the new personal data, a new document - with a biometric international passport. Such a document contains a chip containing all the information necessary for the migration service.

Also, since last year, to obtain a biometric passport, fingerprints of the index fingers of both hands will be required. Thus, fingerprint data will provide more reliable protection against the use of counterfeit documents and speed up border control.

It is worth noting that there is no need to specifically change your current old-style international passport to a new biometric one. The only exception is a change in the owner’s personal data, in which case a replacement is necessary.

However, even if you change your last name, it is possible to obtain an old type of foreign passport. This is possible when the registration and purpose of obtaining a foreign passport do not require delay. An example of such a situation would be issuing a valid passport to travel abroad in order to attend the funeral of a relative. Another good reason could be a serious illness of a loved one.

Replacement procedure

Many people are interested in how to change their passport after changing their last name. This problem can be solved in several ways, and not all of them require personal contact.

Registration at the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Before visiting the nearest migration service office, you must prepare the required package of documents. In order to avoid wasting time in long queues, you need to go to the UVM website in your region and make an appointment. If no difficulties arise, the procedure will last approximately 15–20 minutes.

It is very important to arrive at exactly the appointed time, without being late, otherwise a long queue cannot be avoided. After submitting all the documents, the GUVM employee will set a date for the passport to be ready - on this day you will need to pick up the document.

Registration of a foreign passport at the multifunctional center (MFC)

Replacing a foreign passport when changing your last name at the MFC makes sense only if you need an old-style document. Before visiting the center in person, it would be useful to familiarize yourself with its website, clarify the required list of documents and make an appointment. An important point in completing the document submission procedure the first time is paying the state fee before your direct visit to the MFC.

In terms of time, receiving a package of documents will take approximately the same time as when applying to the Main Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The difference lies in the notification about the readiness of the foreign document: you will receive information from the MFC about the successful completion of the production of the international passport via SMS.

You can pick up the document at a time convenient for you at the same branch of the multifunctional center.

Registration using the State Services portal

To change your international passport when changing your last name through State Services, first of all you need to go to and open your personal account. If you don't have one, you need to register.

In your personal account, you must select a service and fill out the form provided. You need to pay special attention to the choice of the GUVM branch where you will have to pick up your completed international passport.

To fully enter data into the form, you will need to upload your photo. Detailed image requirements can be found on the website.

After completing all the specified steps and carefully checking the entered data, the questionnaire can be sent for processing.

If your efforts were not in vain, within a few days a letter will be sent to the email address you provided with an invitation to the migration service department you previously specified in order to take a photo in digital format and submit all documents.

A list of required papers will also be attached to the letter.

Typically, there is a separate queue for citizens using the State Services portal when submitting documents. An employee of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will announce the date of readiness of the international passport.

Procedure for replacing a passport

You can change your international passport when changing your last name:

1. To the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (by contacting in person or through the official website).
2. Through government services.
3. Through MFC.

Through government services

To receive services through the public services portal, you must be registered in the unified ESIA system.

Submitting an application for a new passport occurs in several stages:

1. Selection in the category “Passports, registrations, visas”.

   Rice. 2. Choice of service

2. In the window that opens, you must select the type of passport to be issued (for 5 or 10 years).

   Rice. 3. Selecting a passport type

3. After choosing to receive an electronic service, you must fill out an application, enter the details of your internal passport, certificate of marriage (divorce) or change of name,
4. When filling out an application in a special window, you must upload a photo according to the instructions.
5. After sending an electronic application, the applicant’s personal account will receive a message about its acceptance by the department of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and a receipt form for payment of the state fee with a 30% discount.
6. An invitation to an appointment indicating the time and date of the visit will be sent to the personal account of the recipient of the public service from the territorial department of the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Through MFC

To submit an application through the MFC, you must make an appointment in advance to save time. Pre-registration is made by telephone, in person to the hall administrator and via the Internet (in some regions).

If you were unable to sign up in advance, you can go to the administrator and take an electronic queue coupon, wait for your number to be called and go to the named window.

The application can be filled out in advance or in front of an MFC employee.

Important! The signature on the application must be placed only in the presence of an official for identification!

After submitting the application and all the necessary documents, the MFC employee issues a receipt of their acceptance indicating the date of receipt of the new passport.

Note! When issuing a biometric document, digital photography and fingerprint scanning are performed at the MFC on the day of application!

Application form for a new passport

You can fill out the form for issuing a new generation international passport not only by hand, but also on a computer, but only in capital letters. To promptly enter reliable information, you will need to have a number of documents on hand:

1. Internal passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.
2. International passport with old surname.
3. Certificate of marriage or divorce.
4. A document confirming your work experience over the last ten years.
5. List of addresses of your places of work or study over the past ten years.
6. Home and mobile phone numbers. If there is only one, be sure to include a valid number.

List of required documents

If we talk about what documents are needed to replace a foreign passport, the standard list for both men and women looks something like this:

• photographs 3.5x4.5 cm;
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• internal passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation with the surname already changed and its copy;
• previously issued passport;
• document on the basis of which the surname was changed (certificate of marriage or divorce, adoption, etc.)

The list of what is needed to replace a foreign passport for representatives of the stronger sex also includes a certificate from the military registration and enlistment office or a military ID card if they changed their personal data between the ages of 18 and 27.

Payment of state duty

The state fee for changing a foreign passport is set by the state. With the introduction of biometric documents, its cost has increased, which is explained by the increase in the cost of their production. It is worth noting that the fee for replacing a passport is equal to the amount when it was originally issued.

If we talk about the state duty for issuing an old-style international passport, then in 2021 it is equal to 2,000 rubles. A similar amount will have to be paid for the production of a biometric passport for a child. Since now almost all adult applicants have their exit ID card replaced with a new-generation analogue, how much it costs to change a foreign passport can determine the amount of the state fee for issuing a biometric foreign passport - 3,500 rubles.

If you pay the state duty on the State Services website, then it is not necessary to save the receipt, since the transaction data will immediately go to the Main Department of Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. But, as practice shows, it is still better to have a copy of the document confirming payment with you - this will ensure the safety of your funds in the event of a system failure.

Time frame

If you strictly follow the norms of the law, then when changing your last name, the internal passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation must be replaced within a thirty-day period, but regarding the international passport there is no clear time frame. Of course, if you need to compare both of these documents, then the passport will not be valid, but in practice, some people still use a foreign passport with an old last name in the first months after changing the data, without thinking at all about the possible consequences.

Is it possible to travel with a passport with the same last name?

In the question of whether it is possible to fly with a passport with a maiden name, the following options are possible:

1. If you have already changed your civil passport, but there is not a single visa stamp in your foreign passport, and the trip is planned specifically to a visa country, then you will not be able to leave. First you have to apply for a new passport.
2. If you have not yet reissued a Russian-style civil passport, and you are planning to travel to a visa-free state, then feel free to take a marriage certificate and hit the road.

Traveling with a passport with a maiden name is only possible if the document contains valid visas. This opportunity arises due to the fact that at the border no one usually checks the exit passport with the internal one. In most cases, you don't even have to take the latter with you.

Difficulties will arise if you have changed your last name, this fact is not reflected in your passport and you go to apply for a visa. The thing is that you will need to include copies of both ID cards in the package of documents. And this is where a discrepancy will be identified, which will definitely lead to a visa refusal. The conclusion suggests itself: another factor that limits the validity of a foreign passport when changing personal data is the relevance of the visa permit stamped on it.