MOSCOW, August 28 (RAPSI) - The Russian government reported Thursday that a legislative commission has approved a bill lifting bureaucratic red tape for Russians whose passports expire or get damaged when they are abroad.

The bill has been submitted to the State Duma, lower house of parliament, for discussion.

Currently, Russian nationals who lost their passports abroad can come back home after receiving an ID issued by a diplomatic mission, a Russian consulate or a representative office of the Foreign Ministry. However, if passport becomes invalid, expires or it gets gamaged Russian nationals are denied entry permit. They need to wait up to three months to get a new passport to return home.

First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov was appointed the government spokesman during the discussion of the bill in parliament.