Translate a Foreign Passport into Russian
A foreign passport is the single most-ordered notarized translation in Russia. Send us a clear scan of all pages. We translate it into Russian and have a licensed Russian notary certify the translator's signature — ready in 2-3 business days. Most important: passports are not apostilled in any country. The translation is the complete solution, no legalisation step needed.
- In-country team in Krasnodar since 2001
- Fixed quote before you pay
- No Translation Error Guarantee
Get Your Free Estimate
What to Send Us
- A clear scan or photo of the full passport, including the data page (the first page with your photo), any visa pages, and any entry/exit stamps or official marks
- Your full name exactly as it appears in your Russian passport or ID, so we spell it the same way in the translation
- Whether the translation is for ZAGS (Russian Civil Registry), a bank, the tax service, immigration, a notary, or another office — each may ask for different passport pages
- A phone number, email, or Telegram handle so we can reach you with any questions
- Confirmation that your passport is not expired (we translate them as-is, but expired documents may be rejected by some offices)
The Essential Rule: Passports Fall Outside the Hague Convention
Here is the single most important fact about a passport: it is never apostilled anywhere, because passports fall outside the 1961 Hague Convention on the Legalization of Foreign Public Documents. No country issues an apostille for a passport, not the country it was issued in and not Russia. This means the notarized translation of your passport into Russian is the complete job. There is no legalisation step before, no apostille to obtain, no consular work required. The translation alone is what you need.
Russian authorities — ZAGS (the Civil Registry office), banks, the tax office, the migration service, notaries, and employers — accept a passport translation notarised inside Russia under Russian law. The Russian notary certifies the signature of a translator who holds a recognized translation diploma and is registered with that notary’s office. This format, required under Russian notarial law, is what every translation we deliver provides.
Which Pages of Your Passport Must Be Translated?
Not every page of a passport needs to be translated. The receiving office — ZAGS, a bank, immigration, or whoever is asking for the passport — decides what it will accept. Always confirm with them before you order.
The data page (the first page with your photo) is always translated. This is the core identity page and is needed by every office that requests a passport translation.
Visa pages, entry/exit stamps, and official marks are translated only if the receiving office specifically asks for them. Many offices need only the data page. Some may ask for visa pages if you have visas that show your legal status in a country relevant to the paperwork you are filing. The migration service, for example, might ask for visa pages when processing a residence permit application, while ZAGS during a marriage registration may need only the data page. Do not pay to translate pages you do not need — check with the receiving office first.
The Transliteration Rule: Spelling Must Match Your Entire File
Russian authorities cross-check your documents. Your name, as spelled in the passport translation, must match exactly how it appears in every other document in your file — your birth certificate translation, any marriage certificate translation, power of attorney, or other paperwork you are submitting.
This matters because transliteration — the way non-Cyrillic letters are rendered into Russian — can vary. Older passports from the same country may have been transliterated differently from newer ones; different countries and even different agencies use different transliteration rules. If your passport was issued in 1990 and your birth certificate in 2020, they may have different official transliterations of your name. The translator must choose one spelling and use it consistently across all your documents. This is the file standard, and we confirm it with you before we translate anything.
Pricing and the Fixed-Quote Process
The cost depends on how many pages of your passport you need translated. See our price list for the going rates on notarized document translation, then send us a scan and we will give you a fixed price by return email (within 2 hours during working hours). You approve the quote and deadline before you pay anything.
Foreign Passport Translation — Price
Foreign Passport Translation
€39per passport
Certified Russian translation of the data page (and any pages with stamps or notes you need), plus notarization of the translator's signature by a licensed Russian notary
2-3 business days
No Translation Error Guarantee
If a Russian authority rejects your translation because of a mistake we made — a misspelled name, a mistranslated entry, a missing stamp — we redo it at no charge, on a rush basis.
Applies to our own translation and notarization work; does not cover requirements set by the receiving authority, such as pages it did not ask for, or a document type it does not accept in translated form at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need a notarized translation of my passport in Russia?
Russian authorities — ZAGS, banks, the tax office, migration, notaries — require a notarized Russian translation of a foreign passport before they will accept it for any legal process. The notarization must be done inside Russia by a licensed notary certifying a registered translator's signature.
Do I need an apostille on my foreign passport before sending it to you?
No. Passports are not apostilled in any country because they fall outside the Hague Convention. You send us the passport as-is and we translate and notarize it in Russia. No apostille step exists for passports.
Do you translate every page of my passport or just the data page?
It depends on what the receiving office accepts. The data page (with your photo) is always translated. Visa pages, stamps, and marks are translated only if that office specifically asks for them. Always check with the receiving office before you order, so you do not pay to translate pages you do not need.
Why does the spelling of my name matter if it is translated?
Russian authorities cross-check your documents. Your name spelling in the passport translation must match every other document you submit — your birth certificate, marriage certificate, and any other paperwork in your file. Transliteration rules vary by country and year, so the translator must choose one consistent spelling and apply it across all your documents.
How long does a passport translation take?
Standard turnaround is 2-3 business days from the moment we receive a clear scan of the pages you need, your name as it appears in your Russian ID, and confirmation of which office is asking for the translation.
Can I get a fixed price before I pay?
Yes. We do not charge you anything until you approve the fixed price and deadline. Email us a scan of your passport and we will reply within 2 hours during working hours with the price and turnaround.
Didn't find your answer?
Ask a question about this page — we will answer personally and publish the reply here so it helps the next reader too.
You May Also Need
-
Need Other Documents Notarized Too?
See our full price list for translating birth certificates, marriage certificates, powers of attorney, and other documents into Russian.
-
Also Need Your Birth Certificate Translated?
Birth certificates are often requested alongside passport translations. Many of the same offices — ZAGS, banks, and immigration — ask for both, and the name spelling must match.
-
Marrying in Russia or Abroad?
If you are marrying a Russian citizen or registering a marriage in Russia, your passport translation is one of several documents needed. See the full checklist.
-
Not sure this is the right service?
Answer four questions and check the route for your document and country in under a minute.
Ready when you are
Send a scan now — you will have a fixed price and an honest deadline answer within 2 hours during working hours, and you pay nothing until you approve.
We are not a Russian government agency, ZAGS, bank, tax authority, or migration service. Passports are not apostilled anywhere in the world because they fall outside the 1961 Hague Convention. A notarized Russian translation is what Russian authorities accept. We do not decide what a specific office requires; always confirm current requirements with that office before you order. This is not legal advice.
