The citizenship law lists 12 grounds on which a passport is invalid (Article 9(8) of Federal Law No. 138-FZ). Some grounds take effect on the day of the event itself, while the record of it in the register of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) appears later; some grounds the register does not see at all until the owner applies for a replacement. For a company that accepts a customer’s or employee’s passport, this is both a question of checking and a question of procedure.
Below — each of the 12 grounds separately, with its moment of effect; the difference between a ground for replacing a passport and a ground for its invalidity; three checking channels, with what each shows and does not show; and, separately, what a company should do if the answer turned out to be “invalid.”
When a Passport Is Invalid: 12 Grounds Under the Law
| Item of Article 9(8) | Ground | From what moment it is invalid | Does the MVD seize it |
|---|---|---|---|
| item 1 | The validity period set by the Government of the Russian Federation has expired | Upon expiry of the period | No |
| item 2 | 90 days have passed since a change of surname, first name, patronymic, date or place of birth, or of a civil status record in the cases specified in the law | 90 days after the event | No |
| item 3 | The MVD, its territorial body, or a border body of the Federal Security Service (FSB) has established that false information was entered in the passport | From the day the fact was established | Yes |
| item 4 | The passport is unfit: the security features of the passport blank have been violated, so that the authenticity of the blank cannot be established or the entries cannot be protected from alteration, or the blank is damaged so that a page is missing, or wear does not allow the details to be read unambiguously | From the day these circumstances arise | No |
| item 5 | A new passport has been issued to replace the previous one | From the day the new passport is issued | Yes |
| item 6 | A decision has been made to terminate Russian citizenship | From the day of the decision | Yes |
| item 7 | A territorial body of the MVD, a diplomatic mission, or a consulate has accepted an application about the loss or theft of the passport | From the day the application is accepted | No |
| item 8 | The passport owner has died | From the day of death | No |
| item 9 | The passport has not been collected: three years have passed since it was issued, or three years since a found passport was handed in | After three years | No |
| item 10 | It has been established that the passport was issued on the basis of forged, falsified, or invalid documents or knowingly false information | From the day the passport was issued, retroactively | Yes |
| item 11 | The passport was produced on a forged blank | The date is not specified in the law | Yes |
| item 12 | A citizenship check has established that the passport owner does not have Russian citizenship | From the day the passport was issued, retroactively | Yes |
Separately, on age-based periods: a passport is valid from 14 to 20 years of age, from 20 to 45, and from 45 indefinitely. On reaching 20 or 45, and also on a change of surname, first name, patronymic, date or place of birth, the previous passport remains valid until the day a new one is issued, but no more than 90 calendar days after the event (clause 24 of the Regulations on the Passport, Government Resolution No. 2267 of 23 December 2023). Items 10 and 12 apply retroactively: the passport is recognized as invalid from the day it was issued, although the fact itself is established much later.
Passports on old-style blanks do not in themselves become invalid — they remain valid until replaced within the usual periods established by the Regulations.
Grounds for Replacement Are Not the Same as Invalidity
The Regulations on the Passport separately list ten grounds for replacing the document (clause 22 of Resolution No. 2267). Some of them coincide with the grounds for invalidity in Article 9(8), and some do not.
| Ground for replacement (clause 22) | Does it coincide with invalidity under Article 9(8) |
|---|---|
| Reaching 20 years of age | Yes — item 1 of Article 9(8), taking into account the 90-day window |
| Reaching 45 years of age | Yes — item 1 of Article 9(8), taking into account the 90-day window |
| A change of surname, first name, patronymic, date or place of birth | Yes — item 2 of Article 9(8), taking into account the 90-day window |
| A significant change in appearance due to illness or medical intervention | No — the passport is valid until a new one is issued (item 5 of Article 9(8)) |
| Inability to place the required stamps in the passport | No — the passport is valid until a new one is issued (item 5 of Article 9(8)) |
| Inaccuracy or errors in the entries in the passport | No — the passport is valid until a new one is issued (item 5 of Article 9(8)) |
| Unfitness of the passport blank for further use | Yes — this is item 4 of Article 9(8) itself, from the day the circumstances arise |
| Information, stamps, or entries not provided for by the Regulations | No — the passport is valid until a new one is issued (item 5 of Article 9(8)) |
| Loss or theft of the passport | Yes — item 7 of Article 9(8), from the day the application is accepted |
| The passport being recognized as material evidence in a criminal case | No — the passport is valid until a new one is issued (item 5 of Article 9(8)) |
The difference here is fundamental: an error in an entry, an extra stamp, or a change in appearance are grounds for replacing the passport. It will become invalid only from the day a new passport is issued, regardless of when the error or change itself was discovered. Until that day, the previous document remains in force.
Documents for replacement must be submitted no later than 90 calendar days after the circumstances listed above arise (clause 25 of the Regulations). While a new passport is being issued, the MVD issues a temporary identity certificate.
How to Check a Passport’s Validity: Three Channels
Gosuslugi
The Gosuslugi (State Services) portal offers the service “Passport Validity Check” (gosuslugi.ru/621102/1, in Russian); at the time this article was prepared, following the link leads to a login through an account in the Unified Identification and Authentication System (ESIA) — the service cannot be used anonymously. According to the description of the Ministry of Digital Development (Mintsifry) when the service was launched, the series, number, surname, and first name are entered, and the response contains one of the statuses: “valid,” “invalid,” or “data not found.” The reason for invalidity is not given in the response.
SMEV4 for Organizations
Organizations can obtain access to the MVD data mart through the Interagency Electronic Interaction System (SMEV): the organization connects to SMEV, registers an information system with the “Consumer” role, and obtains access to the corresponding regulated request. The MVD reviews the application manually — it is necessary to specify the provision of a federal law or resolution that gives the organization grounds for such a check. The request transmits the series, number, surname, and first name; the response contains a single field: “Valid” or “Invalid,” without a reason and without a date. There are limits on the number of requests.
Commercial Services
Commercial services obtain data through the same MVD register but work with it differently: some return only the status, others additionally the reason, depending on the channel and the arrangements of the specific provider. Before relying on the result, it is worth clarifying with the provider which channel the response comes through and how fresh it is — some services cache the results of previous requests.
| Channel | Who can use it | What is entered | What is in the response | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gosuslugi | Any portal user after logging in to their account | Series, number, surname, first name | One of the statuses: “valid,” “invalid,” or “data not found” | Cannot be used anonymously; the reason for invalidity is not given |
| SMEV4 for organizations | An organization connected to SMEV and approved by the MVD on an application specifying a provision of law | Series, number, surname, and first name | A single field: “Valid” or “Invalid” | Manual approval of the application by the MVD, limits on the number of requests; no reason and no date |
| Commercial services | Customers of a specific service | Depends on the provider | Status; some providers additionally give the reason | The channel and freshness of the response differ between providers; some services cache results |
The “Russian Passport Validity” check in NeuroVision requests MVD data through the interagency interaction system: it identifies expired, replaced, lost, and invalid passports and verifies that the passport was issued to the person with the specified surname and first name. ₽5 per check.
As of What Date the Check Answers, and Why the Response May Lag
The response of any of the channels reflects the state of the MVD register at the time of the request. The moment the ground for invalidity itself arises may be earlier: the status in the register is updated within a business day from the day the MVD received the information, and the MVD does not always receive it on the day of the event.
| Ground | Can there be a gap between the event and the record in the register |
|---|---|
| Replacement of the passport | Practically none — the new passport is issued by the MVD itself |
| Loss or theft in Russia | Practically none — the application is accepted by the MVD |
| Seizure on grounds that provide for seizure | Practically none — the record is made no later than one business day |
| Death of the owner | Possible — the information is transmitted through civil registry offices (ZAGS); the deadline for transmission is not set by law |
| Loss or theft abroad | Possible — a copy of the application reaches the MVD within up to two business days |
| Unfitness of the passport blank | Possible — the register will not learn of it until the owner applies for a replacement |
| Forged documents at issuance or absence of citizenship | Possible — the passport is invalid retroactively, and the record appears only after the fact is established |
Gosuslugi separately warns that the details of a new passport may not appear in the MVD database immediately. Hence the practical conclusion: the status should be checked as of the date of each specific decision or transaction — a one-time check at the start of working with a document is not enough.
What a Validity Check Does Not Show
Neither Gosuslugi nor SMEV4 reports the reason for invalidity — both channels respond only with a status. The check compares the document’s details with the register; it does not establish that the document was presented by its lawful owner — that requires a separate check matching the data to the person. The question of the authenticity of the passport blank itself — security features, microprint, signs of forgery — is not covered by a validity check either: it is a separate task with other checking methods.
What a Company Should Do If a Passport Is Invalid
Bank
The documents on the basis of which a bank identifies a customer, a representative, a beneficiary, or a beneficial owner must be valid as of the date they are presented (clause 3.1 of Bank of Russia Regulation No. 499-P). When identifying and updating information, the bank uses data obtained through the interagency electronic interaction system, including information about lost and invalid passports, passports of deceased persons, and lost passport blanks (clause 2.2 of the same Regulation).
Violation of this requirement is subject to Bank of Russia supervisory measures: the Bank of Russia is entitled to demand that the violation be remedied or to restrict the bank from carrying out certain transactions for up to six months, and, for violation of the requirements of Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On Combating the Legalization (Laundering) of Proceeds from Crime and the Financing of Terrorism” and the Bank of Russia acts adopted on its basis, to impose a fine of up to 0.1% of the bank’s capital, but not less than ₽100,000 (Article 74(1)–(2) of the law on the Central Bank). This is the regulator’s right; it is not applied automatically to every case. It is also worth knowing separately: Article 15.27 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation does not apply to credit institutions in this part — the exemption for banks is expressly established by Note 3 to this article. The exemption is not complete: banks remain liable under Part 1.1 of this article (for developing internal control rules and appointing designated officers) and under Part 4 (if the violation resulted in money laundering or terrorist financing established by a court verdict that has entered into force).
Other 115-FZ Entities
For organizations that fall under 115-FZ but are not credit institutions — microfinance companies, pawnshops, insurers, and other entities from Article 5 of this law — no direct provision on document validity similar to the requirement for banks has been found in the sources checked. But customer identification is part of the internal control that these organizations are required to maintain under 115-FZ, and identification errors create a risk under Article 15.27(1) of the Administrative Offenses Code: a warning or a fine of ₽10,000 to ₽30,000 for officials and ₽50,000 to ₽100,000 for legal entities; individual entrepreneurs are liable as legal entities. The qualification of a specific case is given by the supervisory authority or a court — the mere fact of accepting an invalid passport does not determine it.
Employers and Companies Outside 115-FZ
Companies that do not carry out the transactions listed in Article 5 of 115-FZ — for example, an ordinary employer — have no customer identification obligations under this law, and Article 15.27 of the Administrative Offenses Code does not apply to them. When concluding an employment contract, the employee presents a passport or another identity document (Article 65 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation). A consultation by the Federal Service for Labor and Employment (Rostrud) states that, within labor legislation, no liability of the employer is established for an employee not replacing a passport whose validity period has expired with a new one; the employer may notify the employee of this but has no obligation to do so.
Any Company: Seizing an Invalid Passport Is Prohibited
Regardless of who accepts the document, a company is not entitled to seize an invalid passport — only officials of the MVD or of Russian missions abroad do this. Seizing a valid passport is also prohibited, except in cases expressly provided for by law. If the check showed “invalid,” it is worth asking the person for another valid document; only the person themselves can find out the reason for invalidity, by contacting the MVD.
Checklist: Checking a Customer’s or Employee’s Passport
1. Check the Age-Based Period and the 90-Day Window
Compare the date of birth in the passport with the age thresholds of 20 and 45 and with the 90-day window that applies after reaching that age or after a change of surname, first name, patronymic, date or place of birth.
2. Inspect the Document for Unfitness
Make sure that the integrity of the blank and the legibility of the details are preserved. The register will not show that the blank is unfit until the owner applies for a replacement — this can only be established by inspecting the document itself.
3. Request the Status via an Available Channel as of the Transaction Date
Check the status via Gosuslugi, SMEV, or another available channel specifically as of the date of the planned decision or transaction — not in advance.
4. Record the Date and Channel of the Check
Save when and through which channel the check was carried out. The law does not require this, but it makes it easier to demonstrate good faith in a dispute.
5. If the Answer Is “Invalid” — Do Not Seize It, Ask for Another Document
A company is not entitled to seize an invalid passport. The right action is to ask the person for another valid identity document.
6. For a Bank — Separately Check Against the Requirements of 499-P
For a credit institution, checking the validity of a customer’s documents as of the date of presentation is a separate requirement of Bank of Russia Regulation No. 499-P, which should be complied with regardless of the general procedure above.
Provisions are given as of 21 October 2026: 138-FZ — version of 26 June 2026; the Regulations on the Passport — Government Resolution No. 2267 of 23 December 2023; 115-FZ and the Administrative Offenses Code — version of 4 August 2026; the Labor Code — version of 25 May 2026; Bank of Russia Regulation No. 499-P — version of 28 June 2024.
The law lists 12 grounds for the invalidity of a passport, and each has its own moment of effect — some are tied to an event in the past, and some take effect only from the day a new document is issued. A ground for replacing a passport and a ground for its invalidity are different things: an error in an entry, an extra stamp, or a change in appearance do not by themselves make a passport invalid; it loses force only from the day a new one is issued.
A check via Gosuslugi or SMEV4 responds with a status as of the request date, without a reason, and does not see some of the grounds until the owner applies for a replacement — so the status should be checked as of the date of the specific transaction, not limited to a single check at the start of working with the document. What to do with an invalid passport depends on who accepts it: for a bank, it is a requirement of Regulation No. 499-P and a subject of Bank of Russia supervision; for other 115-FZ entities, a risk under Article 15.27 of the Administrative Offenses Code through the general identification obligation; for an employer outside 115-FZ, a matter of employment relations without special liability. A company is not entitled to seize an invalid passport in any case — instead, it should ask for another document.
FAQ
