A wolf's ticket (Russian: волчий билет, Polish: wilczy bilet [ˈvil.t͡ʂɘ ˈbi.lɛt] ⓘ) is a colloquial expression for a document (an ID, a certificate, etc.)
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.
[citation needed] The latter kind of wolf's ticket was a serious impediment to one's career.
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] 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.