The Federation Council (Russia’s upper chamber of parliament) has endorsed the law clarifying the norms on invalidating the foreign passports (a passport for international travels) of Russians and demanding to surrender them to the state when called up for military or alternative service, Interfax reported on June 7.  

The law reportedly provides for handing over the foreign passport for storage to the body, which issued this document, “for those who are restricted from leaving the country due to conscription for military or alternative service.  

The law notes that in such cases the foreign passport is subject to handover within five working days “from the date of bringing to the passport holder of the decision to restrict the right of a citizen of the Russian Federation to leave the country.”   

This scheme reportedly provides for handing over the foreign passports of those retired from military services in the FSB (Federal Security Service) units for storage for a period of up to five years from the date of retirement from military service.  

Recall, Russia's State Duma (Russia’s lower chamber of parliament) on May 23 adopted a bill that grants authorities the power in certain cases to confiscate Russian citizens' foreign passports or declare them invalid.

According to the State Duma's website, the law provides for the establishment of a nationwide registry for issued foreign passports but also ones declared invalid.