Passport system introduced in the USSR

The first rudiments of passport system in Russia appeared during the Interlunation in a form of “traveler letter” introduced for the main part for the police purpose. The passport system was completely formed only during the Peter I reign. Under the decree of October 30 (November 10), 1719 due to the implementation of the capitation tax and recruit service, the “travelers’ letters” were introduced officially. Persons not having on them passports or “travelers’ letters” were recognized “bad ones” or even “direct thieves”. The passport system limited travel possibilities for people because no one could change his place of abode without the appropriate local powers’ authorization.

After the October revolution the internal passports were abolished as one of the symbols of tsar’s rule political backwardness and despotism. Under the law of January 24, 1922 all the Russian Federation citizens were allowed to travel freely across the entire territory of the RSFSR. The right for a free travel and settling was also confirmed by the Civil Code of the RSFSR (art. 5). And the article 1 of the decree of the All-Union Central Executive Committee and the Council of the Peoples’ Commissars of July 20, 1923 “On the person identification” prohibited to demand from the RSFSR citizens to show their passports or other identity cards limiting their right to travel and settle in the territory of the RSFSR. All such documents as well as service records were abolished. If necessary citizens could obtain an identity card but it was their right, not a duty.

Toughening of political regime in the end of 20s – beginning of 30s resulted the desire of the rule to increase control over the people’s travelling and thus the passport system was reestablished.

On December 27, 1932 in Moscow the Central Executive Committee of the USSR President M.I. Kalinin, the Council of the Peoples’ Commissars of the USSR President V.M. Molotov and the Central Executive Committee of the USSR Secretary A.S. Enukidze signed the resolution “On establishing a single passport system in the Union of SSR and the obligatory visa of passport”. After the resolution of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR there was established the General Office of the workers and peasants police under the State Political Directorate of the USSR that was in charge of the single passport system imposition across the entire Soviet Union, visa of passports and the direct guidance of these actions.

The resolution on passports determined that “all the citizens of the Union of SSR aged 16 and more, constantly residing in cities, industrial communities, working on transport, in state farms and new construction facilities are obliged to have passports”. Now the whole territory of the country and its population were divided in two unequal parts: the one where the passport system was implemented and the other one where it did not exist. In passport areas the passport was the only document “identifying its owner”. All previous certificates that earlier served as identity cards were abolished.

A person had to obtain an obligatory visa of passport in police agencies “not later than after 24 hours upon his arrival to a new settlement”. The end of the registration as resident also became obligatory for all those who left “beyond the limits of the center of population for good or for a term longer than 2 months”; for all those who were leaving a previous residence and those exchanging their passports; prisoners; for those being under arrest for more than 2 months. Henceforth the violation of the passport system order could entail the institution of administrative or even criminal proceedings against a person.

Lit.: Любарский К. Паспортная система и система прописки в России // Рос. бюл. по правам человека. 1994. Вып. 2. С. 14–24; Попов В. Паспортная система советского крепостничества // «Новый мир». 1996. № 6; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://magazines.russ.ru/novyi_mi/1996/6/popov.html; 70-летие советского паспорта [Электронный ресурс] // Демоскоп Weekly. 2002. 16-31 дек. (№ 93/94). URL: http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2002/093/arxiv01.php.