Where to go and what actions to take ...

    ... if you lost your passport

    In the event that a Russian citizen who has left abroad on a short-term trip finds himself without a passport that identifies a citizen of the Russian Federation outside the Russian Federation, as a result of its loss, he is issued an entry certificate (return to the Russian Federation). The procedure for issuing a certificate is governed by the Regulation on the issuance of a certificate for entry (return) to the Russian Federation, approved by the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1142 dated October 1, 1998 "On the implementation of certain provisions of the Federal Law" On the procedure for leaving the Russian Federation and entering the Russian Federation " ...

    If during your stay abroad you are left without a passport (stolen, lost, etc.), you must contact the Russian diplomatic mission or consular office on the territory of the country in which you are. In return for your lost passport at a Russian foreign mission, you will be issued a certificate to return to Russia. The certificate is a temporary document certifying the identity of a citizen of Russia and giving him the right to enter (return) to the Russian Federation.

    In order to facilitate and speed up the registration of the certificate and, accordingly, the return home, it is recommended to take certain measures in advance.

    First of all, before the trip, we recommend that you find out the address and telephone number of the Russian diplomatic mission and consular offices in the state to which you are going. If you lose your passport, you should contact the nearest Russian foreign office.

    Before traveling, it is also necessary to make photocopies of the main pages (with a photo, personal data, registration mark) of foreign and domestic Russian passports and take them with you. During the trip, it is recommended to keep copies separately from the passport. In case of loss of documents, a copy of the passport will greatly simplify the procedure for issuing a certificate of return to Russia. It is also helpful to leave a copy of your passport with relatives or friends so that it can be quickly faxed if needed. If you do not have documents, two witnesses who are citizens of the Russian Federation can confirm your identity.

    The issuance of a certificate in exchange for a lost foreign passport is carried out by a Russian diplomatic mission or consular office upon a written application from a citizen of the Russian Federation for the period required to enter Russia, but not more than 15 days, against receipt.

    When applying for a certificate, the applicant shall submit:

- a document (protocol, certificate, etc.) issued by the competent authority of the host country (for example, the local police, law enforcement agency), confirming the fact of the loss of the passport;

- an application of a standard form (an application form is issued at a Russian foreign institution);

- two photos;

- documents allowing to identify the identity of the applicant, to establish his place of stay or residence on the territory of the Russian Federation (for example, a military ID, driver's license, etc.) or written statements of at least two citizens of the Russian Federation, certified in accordance with the established procedure, confirming the identity of the applicant.

    A certificate of return to the Russian Federation can be issued only after the consul has received all the necessary information about the applicant, excluding any doubts about his identity and belonging to Russian citizenship.

    In the event that the applicant does not have documents confirming his identity, belonging to the citizenship of the Russian Federation and place of residence in Russia, and it is not possible to submit written applications of Russian citizens that can confirm the identity of the applicant, the Russian diplomatic mission or consular institution sends the appropriate a request to the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation. In this case, it will be necessary to wait for a response on the results of the verification of the applicant's identity carried out by the Russian internal affairs authorities. This procedure can take quite a long time. It can be accelerated if, for example, relatives or friends apply directly to the internal affairs bodies at their place of residence in Russia.

    If the nearest Russian foreign office is located far from your location, we recommend that you first contact its employees by phone and receive appropriate explanations, which will help you collect all the required documents in advance and speed up the issuance of a certificate of return to you upon arrival at the consular office.

    For the issuance of a certificate of return, as well as for the commission of other consular actions, the Russian overseas mission charges a consular fee. The cost of issuing a certificate of return to Russia varies depending on the country (from $ 50 to $ 100).

    Upon arrival in Russia, it is necessary, within three days, to hand over a certificate with the marks of the border checkpoint (placed at the border crossing) to the organization to which the lost passport was issued. The certificate is valid for 10 days from the moment of crossing the border and can serve as an identity card for this period.

    ... if you have suffered as a result of an offense

    If a theft or assault has been committed against you, first of all, you need to report the incident to law enforcement agencies for a possible disclosure of the crime in hot pursuit and investigation. It is necessary to draw up a protocol, in case of theft - indicating a list of missing items and their approximate cost. It is recommended to report the incident to the accompanying group, if any, or to the representative of the travel company.

    In the event of a traffic accident, wait for the police / transport police. It is recommended to insist on a protocol on the scene. Sometimes additional investigation is required to determine the cause of the accident and the degree of fault of each party.

    In the event of unforeseen situations related to threats or attacks from other persons, road traffic accidents, detention by local law enforcement agencies, you should immediately inform the embassy or consular office of the Russian Federation. You have the right to demand from law enforcement or police agencies to provide an opportunity to contact the nearest Russian consular office, or to send him a written notification of the fact of the incident. At the same time, one should be aware of the fact that consular offices cannot always ensure the immediate arrival of a consular officer (for example, if the scene of the incident is located at a great distance from the consulate).

    No resistance should be resisted during detention or arrest, as this may aggravate the situation and provoke intelligence / police officers to use physical force or even weapons. It is not recommended to communicate with representatives of local law enforcement agencies, as well as to sign any protocols and other documents in a foreign language in the absence of a lawyer or attorney, since such testimony under the legislation of a number of countries may form the basis for a charge of a crime.

    The mechanism for providing consular and legal assistance begins to operate from the moment the Russian diplomatic mission or consular institution receives information from the competent authorities of the host country about the detention of a particular citizen. Such a procedure is provided for by the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Specific assistance from Russian consular offices may include providing assistance, if necessary, in translation, establishing contacts with relatives and friends of the detainee, monitoring compliance with procedural norms, including in terms of their compliance with local legislation and international law, finding lawyers, clarifying all the circumstances of the case. ...

    Before leaving for your homeland, leave a copy of the protocol and your installation data at the consular office so that the consular officers have the opportunity to track the progress of the investigation, inform the victim about the results.

    ... in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack

    In cases of emergencies outside the Russian Federation, assistance is provided by the state, taking measures to protect the interests of Russian citizens, including measures to evacuate from the host country.