Wolf's ticket

A wolf's ticket (Волчий билет, wilczy bilet) 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. 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. It also referred to a passport marked with a notice about political unreliability.

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.

A 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.

Poland
In Poland, "wolf's ticket" 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.