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В документе было написано, что для поездки требуется паспорт.

В документе было написано, что для поездки требуется паспорт.
It was written in the document that a passport is required for the trip.

Breakdown of В документе было написано, что для поездки требуется паспорт.

в
in
поездка
the trip
для
for
что
that
паспорт
the passport
документ
the document
требоваться
to be required
быть написано
to be written
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Questions & Answers about В документе было написано, что для поездки требуется паспорт.

Why is it В документе and not В документ?

Because в changes case depending on meaning:

  • в + Prepositional (в документе) = location/state: in the document (where something is written).
  • в + Accusative (в документ) = motion into: into the document (putting something there), which isn’t the meaning here.
What is the role of было in было написано?

было is the past-tense form of быть used to build a past passive/impersonal construction:

  • написано = written (short-form passive participle / category of state)
  • было написано = was written (past) Without было, написано often sounds more like a present-result state: it’s written (there).
Why is написано in neuter singular? What is the “subject” here?

This is an impersonal/passive-style structure. There isn’t a normal grammatical subject like the document wrote…. Russian often uses neuter singular (написано) in such impersonal statements, roughly: it was written (in the document) that….

You can also make it more “personal”:

  • В документе было написано это. (This was written in the document.)
Why do we use что here?

что introduces a content clause—what exactly was written:

  • было написано, что … = it was written that … It’s the standard way to attach an explanatory clause after verbs like написано / сказано / известно / понятно.
Why is there a comma before что?

Because Russian uses a comma to separate the main clause from the subordinate clause introduced by что:

  • было написано, что … This comma is required in standard punctuation.
What does для поездки mean grammatically, and why is поездки in the genitive?

для + Genitive expresses purpose/for what something is needed:

  • для поездки = for the trip / for traveling So поездка → поездки is genitive singular after для.
What does требуется mean here, and why is it third person singular?

требуется is an impersonal/passive-like present form meaning is required / is needed. It’s used as a general statement, so it stays in 3rd person singular:

  • требуется паспорт = a passport is required You can think of an implied it is required rather than someone explicitly doing the requiring.
Why is паспорт in the nominative (not accusative), if it’s the thing “required”?

With требоваться in this structure, the thing required commonly appears in the nominative as the grammatical subject of the idea X is required:

  • требуется паспорт (Nominative)

Accusative is typical after требовать when you name the person/authority that demands something:

  • Они требуют паспорт. (They demand a passport.)
Could I replace было написано with написали?

Yes, but the meaning becomes more specific (someone wrote it) and a bit less formal/official:

  • В документе написали, что… = They wrote in the document that… (colloquial, “they”)
  • В документе было написано, что… = neutral/formal, focuses on the fact as stated in the document.
Is the word order flexible here? Could I say что паспорт требуется для поездки?

Yes. Russian word order is flexible, and changes often affect emphasis more than basic meaning:

  • …что для поездки требуется паспорт. = emphasizes for the trip (condition/purpose comes first)
  • …что паспорт требуется для поездки. = emphasizes passport (the required item)

Both are grammatical.

What’s the difference between было написано and было сказано in this kind of sentence?

They differ by source/medium:

  • было написано = it was written (in a document, message, sign)
  • было сказано = it was said (spoken information, a person told you)

With В документе, написано is the natural choice.