Can I get a second international passport

If you've already figured out how to get an international passport for the first time, then get ready for some new information: you can become the owner of two at once! Cool, right?

A second international passport will come in handy if you travel a lot. For example, it will keep you safe at "problematic" borders or allow you to relax peacefully even if you lose one of your documents. In this article, we'll tell you how to apply for it, what documents are needed, and how to use it.

Why you need two international passports

A second international passport might be useful if you:

– travel to countries that are in conflict with each other: Abkhazia and Georgia, India and Pakistan, Azerbaijan and Armenia, Israel and Muslim countries. It's better to use different international passports for different stamps to avoid problems at the border;

– you're going on vacation, but you need to get a visa for another country. With two international passports, you can submit one to the embassy for processing and travel with the other;

– your international passport has run out of pages for stamps, but you still have valid visas. At the border, you can present both passports — then there will be no problems;

– you need to get two visas at once; 

– want to continue your journey without problems if you lose one of your international passports. 

How to apply for a second international passport

Previously, a second international passport could only be obtained for work purposes, but in 2015, the restrictions were lifted — now any Russian citizen can do this. It is processed in the same way as the first one, and is considered not an additional but an independent document. They are not dependent on each other in terms of validity periods. 

1. It's easy to order a new passport on "Gosuslugi". You need to:
   Fill out the application according to the sample. When applying, you must check the box "in addition to the existing one".
2. Choose the Ministry of Internal Affairs department where you will receive the document.
3. Pay the state fee — 5 000 rubles for a ten-year passport.  
4. Go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, provide original documents. In our blog, you can find out more about what documents are required to apply for an international passport.
5. Take a photo and submit fingerprints.
6. Wait for the international passport to be issued, from one to three months. It all depends on where you submitted your application. 
7. Pick up the ready passport. 

When processing documents, be sure to check the transliteration in your international passport, i.e., how your first and last names are written in Latin characters. This will help avoid errors when purchasing airline tickets.

Restrictions on application

There are no special restrictions when applying for a second international passport. But there are conditions:

– the second international passport can only be biometric — for ten years. It costs more than a regular one; 

– you cannot have three international passports. If you order a third, the first one will be taken from you; 

– if you lost your first document and don't know what to do, if you lost your international passport, we'll tell you: first, it must be declared invalid. Otherwise, you will not be issued a new document.

What documents are needed

You can collect the documents for a second international passport in one day. Here is the list:

• Russian citizen's passport;
• black and white or color photograph. If you submit documents via applications on "Gosuslugi", you can upload it online;
• military ID (for men aged 18 to 27);
• previously issued international passport, if its validity period has not expired.

If you are applying for an international passport for a child under 14, you need:

• birth certificate;
• color or black and white photograph;
• Russian citizen's passport of the parent or guardian.

If you are applying for an international passport for a child aged 14 to 18:

• Russian citizen's passport;
• color or black and white photograph;
• Russian citizen's passport of the parent or guardian.

How long does it take

The processing time for a second international passport is exactly the same as for the first one: from one to three months. It all depends on where you will pick up the document. As a rule, if you submitted the application in the city where you are registered, you will receive your international passport faster. 

How to travel with two international passports

You are not obliged to take two international passports with you on a trip — you can manage with just the one that has the necessary visa. It's worth noting that not all countries allow entry with two international passports. Most of Europe, the USA, Canada, and Japan are not against it, but to India, Australia, and China, you can only enter with the document you specified when purchasing the ticket.

There are usually two problematic situations where people often get confused. Let's look at them:

1. You bought airline tickets with your new passport while your old one was being processed for a visa. Which one should you take? 

If the airline requires a complete match of data in the ticket and document, then take both (you won't be allowed anywhere without a visa). However, when buying tickets for some low-cost carriers, a passport number is not required, only the first and last name — in that case, take the one with the visa. When taking both passports, don't get confused: the entry and exit stamps must be in the same passport, not in different ones.

2. I have a visa in one passport, but it has no pages for stamps. I want to enter a country with my second passport where entry with two documents is not allowed. What should I do?

Unfortunately, you will have to transfer the visa to your new passport. To do this, contact the embassy or consulate.

3. I booked a ticket with one international passport, but submitted it for visa processing. Can I fly with another one?

If you try to fly with a different passport, you might not be checked in for the flight. You can try to negotiate: for example, with some low-cost carriers, you only provide your first and last name, without a document number. But this doesn't always work. Therefore, we strongly recommend buying tickets with the passport you are sure to have with you.

If you travel a lot, a second international passport will definitely come in handy. With it, you are protected from many troubles that may arise at borders and in countries of stay.

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