Russian Name Transliteration for International Passport
Transliterate Russian first name, surname and patronymic to Latin per MVD Order #889 / ICAO Doc 9303 rules. Also bank cards, driver licenses, GOST 7.79.
MVD Order #889 of 27.11.2017 / ICAO Doc 9303 — current system for Russian international passports.
What is Russian name transliteration for passport?
Transliteration is the conversion of Russian names to Latin script following strict rules. The Russian international passport uses MVD Order #889 of 27.11.2017, based on the international ICAO Doc 9303 standard. Each Cyrillic letter has one Latin equivalent, with no variations. Convertilo transliterates names right in your browser following these rules, plus supports alternative systems (bank cards, GOST).
About Convertilo Transliteration
The service transliterates Russian names using several systems. The main one is MVD Order #889 (same as ICAO 9303), used for international passports and driver licenses. Also: GOST 7.79-2000 for scientific texts and the simplified bank card system.
Supported systems
- International passport and driver license — MVD Order #889 of 27.11.2017 / ICAO Doc 9303
- Bank cards — older system, often Y instead of И and YA instead of Я
- GOST 7.79-2000 system B — for scientific and technical publications
- All 33 letters of the Russian alphabet covered, soft sign is dropped
Benefits
MVD #889 compliant
We use the exact table from MVD Order #889 of 27.11.2017 — the same one used in passports and licenses since 2017.
Multiple systems
Passport, bank card, GOST — switch between systems and compare variants.
Local processing
Name is not sent to a server — transliteration runs in your browser.
FAQ
Which rules are used?
MVD Order #889 of 27.11.2017 — the current Russian regulation. It is based on the ICAO Doc 9303 standard. Each Cyrillic letter has one Latin equivalent: Е→E, Ё→E, Ж→Zh, Й→I, Ц→Ts, Ч→Ch, Ш→Sh, Щ→Shch, Ъ→Ie, Ы→Y, Э→E, Ю→Iu, Я→Ia. The soft sign is dropped.
What if the old passport has a different spelling?
Russian MVD officially confirmed (2025): different transliterations are NOT grounds for passport seizure. You can keep the old spelling on application — provide supporting documents (previous passport, visa with this spelling, license).
Does this work for driver licenses?
Yes, Russian driver licenses use the same rules as passports.
Why does my bank card spell my name differently?
Many banks use the older MVD #310 rules (pre-2014) or their own conventions. The card may show IVAN instead of IVAN, or JU/YU instead of IU. Not an error — just a different system.
Do I need to include the patronymic?
Russian passports do not print patronymic on the photo page, but it may appear on the additional info page. For most documents the patronymic is not required.