What SNILS looks like: sample, order of receipt, functions

Few people think about it, but from a young age we begin to earn our pension. Already at the first official employment, the Pension Fund opens a special pension account for the newly hired employee, which reflects all the information about insurance contributions for the employee. Based on this information, the pension is subsequently calculated. Each such account has its own individual number - SNILS. Today we will dwell in detail on what SNILS is, and consider what data it contains, what it is needed for, and how to get it.

Decoding SNILS. Document appearance

Upon first employment, a document is issued for each person working at a Russian enterprise - a certificate confirming participation in the joint pension system as an insured person. The insurance certificate of compulsory pension insurance (CISOPS) is a form measuring 115x80 mm, light green, sealed in hard film for laminating documents.

It can be obtained by the unemployed, and even by foreigners temporarily staying in the Russian Federation (who have entered into an open-ended or fixed-term employment contract for a period of 6 months or more), but for initial employment, issuing such a certificate is the direct responsibility of your employer. See what the insurance certificate looks like below.

The insurance certificate issued before 2003 looked similar, when the current compulsory pension insurance system was called “state”.

It is these two certificates that citizens often mistakenly call SNILS. In fact, this abbreviation is only an integral part of the document.

Let's figure out how this abbreviation is correctly deciphered. SNILS – insurance number of an individual personal account. It is the first column of all SSOPS - a unique numeric code assigned to a future pensioner upon registration in the pension system (receiving a certificate) and assigned to him until the end of his life. Even if documents are lost or changes are made to them, the individual number remains the same.

Those who believe that a pension certificate and SNILS are the same thing are also mistaken. The fact is that a pension certificate is a document that, until 2015, was issued to all citizens who had already retired.

Since 2015, instead of a certificate, a certificate of pension has been issued. It also indicates the insurance number of the now pensioner.

In the pension certificate issued earlier, the insurance number was not indicated at all, therefore the statement that SNILS is indicated in the pension book is fundamentally incorrect.

Who can get an insurance number? First of all, these are all able-bodied officially working citizens.

In addition to them, the unemployed, individual entrepreneurs, self-employed (including if they have reached retirement age but have not previously issued a certificate), foreigners and even children under 14 years of age can apply for an insurance certificate and receive SNILS.

For those who are interested in whether the organization has SNILS, we explain: according to Art. 7 Federal Law No. 27 of 04/01/1996, an insurance certificate can only be issued for individuals insured in the pension system; no legal entities can issue an SSOPS for themselves, which means they are not assigned an insurance number.

What does the unique SNILS number mean?

Those who have ever held an insurance certificate in their hands have probably wondered what the 12 digits of the SNILS code that are written on it mean. Let's be clear right away: the 12-digit number is probably an INN - a code assigned by the Federal Tax Service.

The pension account number has only 11 digits and is written in the format: “YYY-YYY-YYY XX”, where the first 9 digits are the unique digital code itself, and the last 2 digits are a control number that checks the digital key for correctness. This code does not encrypt any important information - the digits of the number are chosen randomly.

People often ask what the size and font format of the SNILS card is in 2019, although in practice this does not matter. Thus, the form of the form, rules for filling it out, parameter classifiers and other requirements for the SSOPS are determined by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 2P dated 01/11/2017. According to him, the law does not provide for any requirements for fonts in the document. The only clear requirement is to enter information in capital block letters.

What is the validity period of SNILS, and in what case is it subject to replacement?

A positive point is the fact that SNILS does not expire. An insurance number is assigned to an individual by the state once and forever.

The card itself must be replaced only in special cases. For example, if the owner’s personal data is changed: a typo is found in the data on the place of residence and after that the passport is replaced. Replacement may also be required if it is not in good condition.

Reference!

The data in SNILS must completely match the information in the passport.

When replacing, the insurance number of the individual personal account remains unchanged.

You should not postpone the replacement for a long time, since according to Russian laws, all personal data of a citizen of the Russian Federation must be correctly displayed in his identity documents. These include: passport, compulsory medical insurance policy and SNILS. All information in these documents must be identical. If any information about an individual changes, all of the above documents are replaced, including SNILS.

Important!

It is worth remembering that violation of laws leads to administrative penalties and fines.

In addition to administrative liability, the owner may face many other troubles. Thus, the insurance contributions that the employer made before updating the old insurance policy data will not reach the Pension Fund. Because the Pension Fund of Russia database is updated only after receiving information about replacing the SNILS card, which means that until this time there will be discrepancies in the citizen’s personal data.

Information entered into the SSOPS

In accordance with Appendix 1 to Government Resolution No. 2P, the certificate of a person insured in the pension system (in the ADI-7 form) must contain the citizen’s personal data, including:

• date of registration as a person insured in the pension system;
• the personal account number itself, indicated at the top of the certificate;
• Full name of the future pensioner;
• day and place of birth;
• gender of the certificate holder;
• on the reverse side the rules for using the certificate, cases of its validity, the need to present and replace the document, as well as information about the manufacturer of the form are indicated.

By the way, the date of issue is also not indicated on the certificate. This is due to the fact that some time may pass from the moment the document is produced to the moment it is issued (especially if it is issued by the employer), and if it is displayed, such a date will most likely be incorrect. Therefore, it was decided to display on the certificate only the date of registration in the OPS system as the most correct information.

For those who are looking for where the number and series of the document are written, we clarify: the certificate itself as such is not assigned a number and series. The SNILS indicated at the top of the certificate form is used as an identifier.

There are no series at all on the form. If the SSOPS issued to you lacks any of the above information, it is recommended that you immediately contact the Pension Fund to receive a correctly completed card.

If, when calculating how many digits are in the SNILS number, it turns out that their number is less/more than 11, the certificate can be considered invalid: contact the Pension Fund to replace it. We'll talk about the replacement process a little later. For now, let’s look at why the SSOPS and the personal account number indicated in it might be needed at all.

Contents of the document

Let's look at the photo of the SNILS document again. It contains the following valuable information:

• Individual insurance number of a citizen in the Pension Fund system. As a rule, this is strictly 11 Arabic numerals. Presented in the format: AAA-AAA-AAA AA. The first nine digits are the citizen’s insurance number itself, the last two are a control number that allows you to check the entire combination of symbols for validity.
• Last name, first name, patronymic of the owner.
• Date and place of birth of a citizen.
• Floor.
• Registration date.

Please note that all data specified in SNILS must correspond to the passport data. Otherwise, your pension insurance certificate is invalid.

Why do you need SNILS

Despite the fact that the number under discussion is a person’s identifier in the compulsory pension insurance system, it will be required not only for actions related to the pension. Let's figure out what SNILS gives to an adult citizen.

So, the insurance number in the OPS system:

• forms the size of the future pension of the insured citizen;
• identifies a person in the system of interdepartmental interaction;
• allows you to register on the State Services portal https://www.gosuslugi.ru/ (registration is impossible without SNILS);
• will be required for employment, receipt of social benefits, payment of assistance, registration as a beneficiary;
• previously used to obtain a universal electronic card (since 2022, the MFC no longer issues such cards);
• may be required to obtain a loan from a bank.

A separate question is why banks require SNILS when applying for a loan. The pretext, it would seem, is clear: from 2022, the insurance number had to be indicated on the title part of the credit history, so banks began to include it in advance in the application form from potential borrowers for a loan. However, Federal Law No. 468 of December 28, 2016 canceled this amendment, leaving the law in its current version: SNILS, according to paragraphs. 4 paragraphs 2 art. 4 Federal Law No. 218 of December 30, 2004, is entered into the credit history only if it is voluntarily indicated by the borrower.

Thus, entering the insurance number column in an application for a loan is not a violation, but the applicant can quite legally refuse to provide such information to the bank.

All this allows us to answer the question of whether a non-working pensioner needs SNILS: it is definitely necessary, but for employed citizens it is much more important. Let's figure out why.

SNILS for pension insurance

The compulsory insurance system is perhaps the main thing for which a personal account number is used. According to Art. 7 Federal Law No. 167 of December 15, 2001, every person employed in the territory of the Russian Federation, entrepreneurs, persons performing paid services and others who are engaged in labor activities are subjects insured in the compulsory health insurance company. For each of them, policyholders (employers or the insured persons themselves) make insurance contributions that form their future pension.

So, the insurance number of the individual personal account of the insured person, according to Art. 10 Federal Law No. 167 is precisely intended to reflect all those insurance premiums that were paid for the employee.

Information is collected on a personal account throughout the citizen’s entire working life, no matter how many employers he changes and no matter what salary he receives.

If the employer does not transfer contributions or the employee is employed unofficially, accordingly, pension rights are not formed in his account.

Is it possible to refuse SNILS

Despite the obvious benefits, citizens are ambivalent about assigning them an individual number. First, many view it as a digital identity system, which violates their civil rights.

Secondly, such an identification system is not supported by religious people, calling SNILS nothing more than “personal code”. Their position is shared and supported by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Those who are against assigning an insurance number can go two ways:

1. Refuse to receive it upon first employment.
2. If you have already received a state pension insurance card, contact the Pension Fund office with a request to cancel the electronic number and remove the citizen from the register.

Since the law does not provide for a refusal procedure, there may be problems with it.

We also draw attention to the fact that if a citizen does not have an insurance certificate, he may have problems with legal employment, he will not accumulate a pension, he will be denied access to government services online, he will not be able to receive social assistance, etc.

Is it possible to refuse a certificate?

Not all citizens like having an identification number, so some individuals try to refuse to receive a certificate. If the document is drawn up for the first time, there will be no problems, since no one can force a person to register in the pension insurance system, and this does not happen automatically for adults.

Important! In some regions of the Russian Federation, several years ago they began to issue a certificate and assign identification numbers automatically, but only to newborns. This innovation is designed to free young parents from visiting government agencies in the first months of a child’s life.

The legislation does not provide for the practice of refusing to use a certificate.

Article on the topic: SNILS for a child and a newborn, its design

Procedure for obtaining a pension insurance number

The procedure for obtaining an insurance certificate depends on the category to which the insured person belongs.

Thus, for officially employed citizens and foreigners, the SSOPS is issued by the employer. He must submit an application for his employee within 14 days from the date of his employment. To do this, the employee fills out a form (form ADV-1) and submits it to the employer along with his passport.

Within 21 days, the Pension Fund prepares a certificate and sends it to the address of the employer - a legal entity. He transfers the document to the employee within a week.

Unemployed people, individual entrepreneurs and the self-employed issue a certificate and number on their own. They submit the ADV-1 form and passport to the Pension Fund and personally receive the SSOPS.

Foreigners also apply for a pension number in a similar manner, including if they are temporarily staying in the Russian Federation and have entered into an employment (civil) contract for at least 6 months.

The document is produced free of charge for any category of applicant.

SNILS for minors

Minor children are also among those who are issued SNILS, even if this is not related to their employment (for example, to obtain a compulsory medical insurance policy). Children who have reached the age of 14 have the right to independently issue an insurance certificate: all they need is a passport and a prescribed form, which can be taken directly from the Pension Fund office.

The document can also be issued for a child under 14 years of age. In this case, the applicant is his legal representative (parents, adoptive parents, guardians, trustees), who must submit:

• application form;
• child's birth certificate;
• a document confirming representation if the applicant is not a natural parent (for example, a court decision on adoption);
• own passport.

How to restore if lost via the Internet

You can issue a duplicate insurance certificate in a short period of time using the global network. This method can be used if you have a personal account on the State Services information portal. If there is no account, the user will not be able to log in.

To restore SNILS via the global network, you need to follow the following algorithm:

1. Open the information portal of the Russian Pension Fund and log into your account.
2. Click on the “Login” button located in the upper right corner and provide your account information (email, login and password).
3. Apply for a new copy of SNILS.
4. Select the “Request” option.

SNILS is restored via the Internet in the electronic account on the PFR website.
To track the readiness of the ticket, the user can enable notifications sent by email. A few years later, the Pension Fund sends a response to the request. It can be seen in the “Customer History” tab. After consideration of the request, the applicant is sent a duplicate of SNILS in the form of an electronic file. A person can download a backup copy of a document to a computer.

After the document is restored, the previous SNILS becomes invalid. But if the certificate was restored after receiving a duplicate, then it can be used, because the digital code of the personal account remains unchanged. The processing time for a new document is 5 – 10 working days.

If during the change of SNILS a person got a new job, then during employment he can indicate his identification number, and provide a duplicate upon receipt of it. The employer is obliged to continue to replenish the employee’s insurance account in the temporary absence of an insurance certificate.

Where is the insurance certificate issued?

The easiest way to obtain a pension insurance document is, of course, through your employer. If the future pensioner is not officially employed, is an entrepreneur, lawyer, notary, or for any other reason must independently make insurance contributions for himself (or voluntarily makes them for another individual, not being his employer), he can apply:

• to the Pension Fund branches at the place of permanent residence (registration);
• at the MFC at the place of any registration, including temporary, if interaction agreements have been concluded between the multifunctional center and the Pension Fund of Russia.

Taking into account existing practice, it would be logical to allow the possibility of registering SSOPS through the official website of the State Services https://www.gosuslugi.ru/. However, at the time of preparation of publication, the corresponding functionality was not available on the site. The Pension Fund does not explain why this possibility is still missing.

Methods of recovery in case of loss

You can reissue a duplicate SNILS using the following methods:

• By contacting the MFC. To re-receive the document, the insured individual needs to contact the MFC and provide a Russian passport. Employees of this authority will help fill out application forms in the “ADV-3” format and provide free consultation to the client.

30 days after submitting the application, the person needs to re-visit the MFC office and pick up a duplicate SNILS. In some constituent entities of the Russian Federation, a new insurance certificate is initially sent to the Pension Fund to confirm personal data. After this, the document is issued to the insured individual.

• Through the Pension Fund. This method is one of the fastest and easiest. To obtain a new copy of SNILS, an individual needs to visit the Pension Fund office.

Unemployed people and citizens under the age of majority can re-learn their identification number only at this municipal institution. At the Pension Fund office, application forms in the “ADV-3” form are filled out. A duplicate is created within 3 weeks and issued to an individual in the Pension Fund building.

• Through the employer. Citizens who legally work in a private or public company can restore SNILS through their employer. In this case, the application forms are filled out by a specialist in the company’s human resources department or an accountant.

Working persons can restore SNILS through the human resources department of their employer.
The documentation is transferred to Pension Fund employees and verified within several weeks. A duplicate of SNILS is issued to an employee of the company if there is a certificate of power of attorney.

A few weeks later, the applicant receives a duplicate of the OPS certificate. The identification number of the insured person will not change. It is assigned upon the first registration of an individual in the OPS system and is stored in the unified Pension Fund database.

How to replace SSOPS

The SSOPS is considered valid only when a citizen’s passport is presented with it, and therefore it can be considered valid only when it contains the current personal data of its owner. If these data change (for example, when changing your last name), in accordance with clause 4 of Art. 7 Federal Law No. 27, updated information must be reflected on the individual account.

To do this, a citizen applies to the Pension Fund or MFC with an application to replace the SSOPS - on its basis, the applicant is issued a new document with up-to-date information.

In the event of loss, theft or damage to an insurance certificate, within a month its owner must contact either his employer or independently the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation (Clause 5, Article 7 of Federal Law No. 27). Within 5 working days after such a request, the Pension Fund representative office issues a duplicate.

There is no state fee for either replacing or restoring a card.

How to find out your personal account number

An electronic personal account number, as we have already written, may be required in different situations. You can view it in the SSOPS insurance certificate or in the certificate of pension assignment, if we are talking about persons already registered as pensioners. If such documents are missing, urgently contact the Pension Fund/employer for replacement.

In this case, you can find out your personal account number:

• at the branch of the Pension Fund of Russia at the place of registration or MFC upon presentation of an identification document;
• in the accounting department of the enterprise at the place of employment;
• on the State Services website, requesting notification of the status of your personal account, but only in case of prior registration on the website.

It is not possible to find out your SNILS in any other way, which is due to the confidential nature of this information.

What does the new SNILS look like?

The Pension Fund of Russia has begun issuing a new type of insurance number, but this does not mean their mass replacement; their owners will be those who receive the document for the first time, restore or replace it. Of course, if you wish, you can apply for a duplicate on your own initiative, replacing the old card with a new one.

This is also important to know:
What documents need to be submitted for a temporary residence permit?

The document has not undergone any fundamental changes, in particular those affecting the color of the plastic card and the information contained on its reverse side regarding information about gender reassignment. This was done for ethical reasons, but this circumstance does not eliminate the need to report a changed gender to the pension fund, since the age of retirement directly depends on this.

The old SNILS, a sample of which can be seen below, does not require replacement and is considered valid.

Sample of the new type Sample of the old type

Summing up what has been said and answering the question of why SNILS is needed, it can be noted that in addition to what was listed earlier, it is planned that this number will be assigned to the card in electronic form, which will allow you to receive not only the services of a pension, social, medical plan, but also replace a number of others mandatory documents, for example, TIN.

We recommend that you find out how to obtain a TIN.

What can you find out by your personal account number?

The main thing that you can find out about a person by the personal account number of the OPS system is to check pension savings using SNILS.

Thanks to the State Services portal, citizens insured by the Pension Fund can find out:

• the state of your personal account, the accuracy and timeliness of insurance contributions made by the employer;
• availability and duration of accumulated insurance experience;
• information about social support measures provided by the state;
• debt on fines, tax payments, loans, as well as all enforcement proceedings, if any are opened against the owner of the number in the FSSP.

But even this information is open only to the owners of the SSOPS themselves. Having illegally taken possession of a certificate or personal account number, fraudsters will not be able to use this information and documents for criminal purposes.

Who can request a certificate

To quickly identify a person, in addition to the document certifying him/her, they are required to provide SNILS in the following cases:

• employer during employment;
• Pension Fund employee, to obtain certificates, apply for benefits, pensions, disability, etc.;
• when seeking medical help;
• to confirm an account on “State Services” (employees of the Pension Fund, MFC, State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, etc.);
• when receiving municipal and government services;
• drawing up a purchase and sale agreement.

A child’s SNILS is required in all:

• preschool and school educational institutions;
• educational institutions;
• organizations providing additional education and children's recreation.

Important! Despite the fact that it is not easy to use someone else’s individual number for personal gain, you should not pass this information on to strangers. Fraudsters, using this information, can transfer the funded part to a non-state pension fund (to receive a reward); if they fail to cancel the actions without delay, then transferring from the non-state pension fund is possible only after 5 years.

How to check your personal account number

Since the personal account number in the OPS system, according to the logic of the Pension Fund, is confidential data, information about these numbers, their owners, their experience and savings can only be provided when such citizens personally contact the Pension Fund.

At the same time, the official position of the Pension Fund does not prohibit checking the authenticity and correctness of SNILS via the Internet:

• firstly, this can be done through the same State Services website https://www.gosuslugi.ru/10042/1, ordering a notification about the status of your personal account. If the personal account number in the certificate and in the notice coincide, the number is correct.
• secondly, this can be done on the portal https://portal.fss.ru/fss/lgot/snils of the Social Insurance Fund (FSS). By entering the account number in a special field, you will receive information regarding the correctness of SNILS, as well as information available to the FSS about the owner of the certificate.

It is not recommended to check the number in any other places.

SSOPS as an identification document

Finally, we decided to figure out whether SNILS is an identity document. The law does not provide for an exhaustive list of documents that are recognized as identification. Analysis of legislation allows us to include among them:

• passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, including foreign and diplomatic;
• birth certificate if the person does not have a passport due to age;
• military serviceman's ID (for military);
• residence permit, refugee/asylum certificate – for foreigners.

SOPS is not included in this list. Moreover, a pension insurance certificate is valid only when it is presented simultaneously with an identification document, and therefore under no circumstances can SNILS prove identity.