There is a shortage of appointments for foreign passport applications in Moscow
In the Russian capital, residents are complaining about the lack of available slots to submit applications for foreign passports. Russian media attribute the rush to a possible increase in demand among citizens to travel abroad.
According to Muscovites, the problem has persisted since at least the end of June. One resident of the Russian capital said she tried every day to make an appointment at offices in the Mozhaisk and Chertanovo districts, but to no avail.
At the same time, since mid-June, city authorities have effectively shifted the submission of applications for biometric foreign passports from the mos.ru portal to the Russian messaging app MAX. Users complain that without filling out a form through this app, it is impossible to make an appointment at multifunctional centers—even to apply for a five-year old-style passport.
According to the publication “Verstka,” problems with obtaining foreign passports in Russia began as early as this spring. At that time, citizens began reporting en masse that Ministry of Internal Affairs offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, and Krasnodar were overwhelmed.
Journalists attributed this to a sharp increase in interest in emigration. In particular, in March 2026, the number of search queries for “leaving Russia” rose sharply amid internet blackouts, tighter legislation, and a deteriorating economic situation in the country.
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