On August 28, 1974, 50 years ago, the Council of Ministers of the USSR approved the new Regulation on the Passport System. The first identity documents appeared in Russia in the 18th century. In 1721, Peter I introduced mandatory passports for peasants leaving their place of residence. In the early 19th century, foreign passports appeared in Russia. By the late 19th century, the Russian passport took the form of a small booklet, indicating the holder's origin, social status, and religion. In 1918, the Soviet government abolished the passport system. Any officially issued document, from a local executive committee certificate to a trade union card, was recognized as an identity document. On December 27, 1932, a decree was issued establishing the passport system in cities, urban-type settlements, district centers, as well as in the Moscow region and certain areas of the Leningrad region. Passports contained information about the date of birth, nationality, social status, military service status, marital status, residence registration, and more. Passports were not issued to military personnel, disabled people, or rural residents. In the 1960s, passports began to be issued to the rural population as well. On August 28, 1974, the Council of Ministers of the USSR approved the new Regulation on the Passport System. Passportization was extended to the entire population of the country, except for military personnel. Unlike previous documents, the new passports became indefinite. On September 30, 1997, in the St. George Hall of the Kremlin, Russian President Boris Yeltsin presented the first thirty new Russian passports with a double-headed eagle on the cover to a group of Russian citizens who had reached the age of 14. From October 1 of the same year, the widespread issuance of new Russian passports began. On that day, 1,000 Russians received their new passports.