Originally Posted by homelyboy

From experience, not my own - but of my former bf who has now settled in Scotland (we're still communicating).

Before late 90s, IIRC, those departing Russia for permanent residence abroad were even required to surrender their internal passports. Now it's become OK for a person living abroad to retain his/her internal passport, but officials won't require you to have one if you show your external passport stamped 'for permanent residence abroad'. Moreover, most will presume that you don't have one.