Wolf's ticket

A wolf's ticket (Russian: волчий билет, romanized: volchiy bilet, Polish: wilczy bilet [ˈvil.t͡ʂɘ ˈbi.lɛt] ^ⓘ) is a colloquial expression for a document (an ID, a certificate, etc.) with clauses that restricted rights of a person, such his right to work or study in educational institutions.^[1][2][3] The phrase and such restrictions were used in the Russian Empire and USSR.

Russia

Originally it was a colloquial phrase in Russian Empire to denote a document issued instead of the internal passport to persons who were given a half-year postponement of katorga or exile for settling personal affairs. The phrase "wolf's certificate" or "wolf's passport" referred to a bad document with which it was impossible to be employed.^[4] It also referred to a passport marked with a notice about political unreliability.^[5]

Later, it denoted a limited certificate for completion of studies. Unlike a regular diploma, it merely stated that the studies were completed, but the student was not allowed to take exams for reasons of poor study or improper behavior.^{[citation needed]} The latter kind of wolf's ticket was a serious impediment to one's career.

Still later this phrase was applied to a document issued in place of an internal passport to persons released from imprisonment ("certificate of release"). Usually this kind of document restricted the rights of a citizen in terms of place of residence (the 101st kilometre rule), occupation, and so on.^{[citation needed]}

Poland

In Poland, "wolf's ticket" (Polish: wilczy bilet) means an informal official negative opinion that prevented a person from traveling abroad, taking up studies or working due to offenses committed by him, usually of a political nature.^[6]