Should you help EZIC in Papers, Please?

Help EZIC if you want the revolution route. Ignore EZIC if you want the clean loyalist route, endless mode, or a safer inspection run. The riskiest choice is completing only one to three major EZIC tasks, because you may lose the loyalist route without earning EZIC protection.

How many EZIC tasks do you need to complete?

You need at least four of the five major EZIC tasks to unlock the EZIC victory route. The major tasks involve Mikhail Saratov on Day 11, Stepheni Graire on Day 14, Marie Escalli on Day 17, Khaled Istom on Day 20, and Kordon Kallo's passport on Day 27.

Does meeting Corman Drex block Ending 20?

No. Meeting Corman Drex and receiving EZIC information starts the contact chain, but it does not count as one of the five major EZIC tasks. Ending 20 is blocked by completing a major EZIC task, not by simply seeing the EZIC setup events.

How do you find Marie Escalli?

Marie Escalli is the ninth entrant on Day 17. Use the cipher from the EZIC messenger and align it over her Arstotzkan passport. The letters E-Z-I-C appear when the cipher is placed correctly, confirming that she is the operative.

How do you poison Khaled Istom?

Khaled Istom is the ninth entrant on Day 20. Process the first eight entrants normally, then open the EZIC poison packet, apply the poison to Khaled's passport, and avoid touching the powder directly. Touching the poison yourself causes an instant death outcome.

Papers Please EZIC Guide — All Tasks, Choices, and Endings

Q: Should you burn the EZIC money?

Yes. Burn the 1,000 credits on Day 11 and the 2,000 credits on Day 12 if they appear. Keeping suspicious EZIC money can trigger investigation and arrest, so players going for the EZIC route should cooperate through tasks, not by keeping the cash.

EZIC is the resistance route in Papers, Please. This guide explains when The Order contacts you, which tasks actually count, what to do with EZIC money, and how to reach the revolution ending without accidentally triggering a failure route. For the main game overview, return to the Papers, Please guide.

What Is EZIC?
Should You Help EZIC?
EZIC Timeline at a Glance
All EZIC Tasks by Day
How Many EZIC Tasks Do You Need?
Should You Burn the EZIC Money?
How to Get the EZIC Ending
What Happens If You Ignore EZIC?
EZIC Ending vs Loyalist vs Escape Ending
EZIC Route Decision Flowchart
Common EZIC Mistakes
Best Save Points for EZIC Runs
Final EZIC Checklist
FAQ

What Is EZIC?

EZIC, also called The Order of the EZIC Star, is a secret organization that opposes the Arstotzkan government. The group contacts the inspector during the story and asks for help with several covert operations.

In gameplay terms, EZIC changes Papers, Please from a pure document-checking puzzle into a route-management problem:

If you ignore EZIC completely, you can stay loyal to Arstotzka.
If you help EZIC enough, you can trigger the revolution route.
If you help EZIC inconsistently, you risk arrest or death.
If you want to escape with your family, EZIC is optional but can complicate your plans.

EZIC is not just background lore. It affects scripted visitors, suspicious money, poison, passport confiscation, the final border attack, and several endings.

Should You Help EZIC?

Help EZIC only if you want the revolution route. Ignore EZIC if you want the loyalist route, endless mode, or a safer inspection run.

The most important rule is simple: commit fully or do not commit at all. Completing only one to three major EZIC tasks can put you in the worst middle ground, where you are suspicious to the government but not useful enough to EZIC.

For a route comparison, see EZIC Ending vs Loyalist vs Escape Ending.

EZIC Timeline at a Glance

Day	Event	What EZIC Wants	Counts as Major EZIC Task?	Recommended Action
Day 8	First EZIC messenger + Corman Drex	Make contact with Corman Drex	No	Give the card to Corman Drex if you want the route open
Day 10	EZIC decoder setup	Reveal target names	No	Use the decoder with the cipher to identify future targets
Day 11	Mikhail Saratov + 1,000-credit gift	Let Saratov enter; burn the money	Saratov: Yes / Money: No	Approve Saratov if pursuing EZIC, then burn the 1,000 credits at night
Day 12	2,000-credit gift if the first gift was burned	Temptation / evidence	No	Burn the 2,000 credits too
Day 14	Stepheni Graire	Let her enter	Yes	Approve Graire if pursuing EZIC
Day 17	Marie Escalli	Identify her with the cipher and let her enter	Yes	Align the cipher over her passport; approve her if pursuing EZIC
Day 20	Khaled Istom	Poison him	Yes	He is the ninth entrant; poison his passport carefully
Day 23	Man in red	Optional side action	No for main route	Ignore him if you want to continue toward EZIC victory
Day 27	Kordon Kallo passport	Confiscate passport and pass it to EZIC	Yes	Complete if you still need EZIC task progress
Day 31	EZIC messenger validation + final attack	Let EZIC finish the attack	Final route decision	The second entrant should be an EZIC messenger if you completed enough tasks

All EZIC Tasks by Day

The main EZIC route is built around five major tasks. You need at least four of them to reach the EZIC victory route.

Day 8: Corman Drex — First Contact

Day 8 introduces EZIC through a mysterious messenger. The messenger gives you a black card with the EZIC symbol and the name Corman Drex.

Later that day, Corman Drex arrives at the checkpoint.

What Happens	What You Should Do
EZIC messenger gives you a card	Keep it on the desk
Corman Drex arrives	Give the card to Corman
Corman gives you EZIC material	Read it and return it when needed
Route effect	Opens the EZIC contact chain, but does not count as one of the five major tasks

This first contact does not block the loyalist ending by itself. The route becomes dangerous when you start completing the major EZIC tasks.

Day 10: Decoder and Names

After first contact, EZIC provides materials that can reveal names connected to the route.

The important names are:

Mikhail Saratov
Stepheni Graire

These names matter because later tasks require you to approve them even when their papers are not valid.

Item	Purpose
EZIC cipher / coded document	Shows hidden names
Decoder	Reveals which entrants are EZIC operatives
Route effect	Helps you identify Day 11 and Day 14 targets

Day 10 is setup, not a major counted task.

Day 11: Mikhail Saratov + 1,000 Credits

Day 11 has two EZIC-related events, and players often mix them up:

During the workday: Mikhail Saratov appears.
At the end of the day: a stranger brings a 1,000-credit EZIC gift.

Detail	Value
Day	Day 11
Character	Mikhail Saratov
EZIC request	Let him enter
Problem	His papers are not valid
Counts as EZIC task?	Yes
Money event	Burn the 1,000-credit gift at the end of the day

To complete the major task, approve Mikhail Saratov even though his paperwork is invalid. This usually causes a citation, but it counts toward EZIC cooperation.

At night, burn the 1,000 credits. Do not keep the money if you want a safe EZIC run.

Day 12: 2,000 Credits

If you burned the Day 11 money, a stranger can bring 2,000 credits on Day 12.

Choice	Result
Burn the 2,000 credits	Safest option
Keep the 2,000 credits	Suspicious wealth can lead to investigation and arrest
Keep either gift	Dangerous if you are trying to avoid the money-related failure route

This money is not a major EZIC task. It is a trap-like support event. Burn both gifts and continue helping EZIC through the counted tasks instead.

Day 14: Stepheni Graire

Stepheni Graire is the second major EZIC entrant task.

Detail	Value
Day	Day 14
Character	Stepheni Graire
EZIC request	Let her enter
Problem	Her documents are not fully valid
Counts as EZIC task?	Yes
Risk	Citation / stronger EZIC commitment

Approve Stepheni Graire if you are pursuing EZIC. If you are staying loyal, deny her according to standard inspection rules.

Day 17: Marie Escalli

Marie Escalli is one of the most commonly missed EZIC tasks because the game asks you to identify her with a cipher instead of simply giving you a normal checklist.

Detail	Value
Day	Day 17
Character	Marie Escalli
Entrant order	Ninth entrant
EZIC request	Identify her and let her enter
Problem	She is missing an Arstotzkan ID card
Counts as EZIC task?	Yes

How to Identify Marie Escalli

Use the EZIC cipher given by the messenger on Day 17 and align it over Marie Escalli’s Arstotzkan passport. When placed correctly, the letters E-Z-I-C appear through the cipher, confirming that she is the operative.

Once you have confirmed her identity, approve her if you are pursuing EZIC. This usually causes a citation, but it counts toward the route.

Day 20: Khaled Istom

Day 20 is the most memorable EZIC task because it involves poison.

EZIC warns you that Khaled Istom is a threat to the organization. The messenger gives you a poison packet and expects you to use it on Khaled.

Detail	Value
Day	Day 20
Character	Khaled Istom
Entrant order	Ninth entrant
EZIC request	Poison him
Counts as EZIC task?	Yes
Major risk	Touching the poison yourself causes an instant death outcome

How to Poison Khaled Istom

Process the first eight entrants normally.
Wait for Khaled Istom, the ninth entrant.
Open the EZIC poison packet carefully.
Apply the poison to Khaled’s passport.
Do not touch the poison powder directly.
Process Khaled after the poison is applied.

This task is easy to fail mechanically because the poison packet is more awkward than normal documents. Take your time. A slow successful poison is better than killing the inspector by rushing.

Day 23: The Man in Red

Day 23 is an EZIC-related side event, but it is not required for the main EZIC victory route.

EZIC may identify a man in red and provide a key related to the rifle.

Choice	Result
Shoot the man in red	Immediate ending
Tranquilize the man in red	Immediate ending
Ignore the man in red	Story continues

If your goal is the EZIC revolution ending, ignore the man in red. Shooting or tranquilizing him gives a separate ending and stops the run.

Day 27: Kordon Kallo Passport

Day 27 is one of the most important EZIC tasks because it can rescue an imperfect EZIC run.

A Kolechian diplomat named Kordon Kallo appears. EZIC wants his passport so that an operative can impersonate him.

Detail	Value
Day	Day 27
Character	Kordon Kallo
EZIC request	Confiscate his passport
Follow-up	Give the passport to the EZIC agent
Counts as EZIC task?	Yes
Risk	Citation, diplomatic sabotage

How to Complete the Kordon Kallo Task

When Kordon Kallo appears, confiscate his passport.
Allow him to enter without returning the passport.
Wait for the EZIC agent later that day.
Give Kordon Kallo’s passport to the agent.
Approve the EZIC agent when required.

This task counts toward the EZIC total and is especially useful if you missed one earlier task.

How Many EZIC Tasks Do You Need?

You need at least four of the five major EZIC tasks to reach the EZIC victory route:

Task	Day	Required Action
Mikhail Saratov	Day 11	Approve him
Stepheni Graire	Day 14	Approve her
Marie Escalli	Day 17	Identify her with the cipher and approve her
Khaled Istom	Day 20	Poison his passport
Kordon Kallo	Day 27	Confiscate his passport, give it to EZIC, and approve the operative

The safest plan is to complete all five. Completing four is enough, but five gives you more margin if you are unsure whether one task counted.

Should You Burn the EZIC Money?

Yes. Burn both EZIC money gifts if they appear.

Day	Money Event	Best Choice
Day 11	1,000 credits	Burn it
Day 12	2,000 credits	Burn it

The money is tempting because it solves rent, food, heat, and medicine problems. But it also creates suspicious wealth. The best EZIC route is not “take every gift.” It is complete the counted tasks while avoiding obvious evidence.

How to Get the EZIC Ending

To get the EZIC revolution ending, your goal is to complete enough tasks before the final day and then avoid stopping the final attack.

The most reliable real-time check happens on Day 31:

Day 31 Signal	Meaning
The second entrant is an EZIC messenger	You completed enough EZIC tasks and can still get the revolution ending
No EZIC messenger appears as the second entrant	You did not complete enough tasks; the EZIC victory route is no longer available

If the Day 31 messenger appears, keep going. When the final attack begins, do not shoot the EZIC attackers. Let the wall attack succeed.

What Happens If You Ignore EZIC?

Ignoring EZIC keeps you closer to the loyalist route.

Your Choice	Likely Route
Receive EZIC contact but complete no major tasks	Loyalist route is still available
Ignore Corman Drex after first contact	No major EZIC task is completed
Deny EZIC-linked entrants	Safer for government loyalty
Avoid suspicious money	Reduces investigation risk
Stop the final attackers	Loyalist / state-aligned result

Important: Corman Drex contact, the cipher, and EZIC information do not count as major tasks by themselves. They do not block Ending 20 unless you also complete a major EZIC task such as approving Saratov, approving Graire, approving Escalli, poisoning Khaled, or handing over Kordon Kallo’s passport.

EZIC Ending vs Loyalist vs Escape Ending

The late game has three major “successful” route styles. Choose one before Day 20 if possible.

Route	Best For	Key Requirement	Main Risk
EZIC Revolution	Players who want political change	Complete 4+ EZIC tasks and do not stop the final attack	High citation and arrest risk
Loyalist Route	Players who want stability / endless mode	Complete no major EZIC tasks and defend the checkpoint	Missing escape opportunities
Escape to Obristan	Players who want family survival	Collect passports and enough money	Expensive and timing-sensitive

Choose EZIC if you want the most dramatic political ending.
Choose Loyalist if you want the cleanest official route.
Choose Escape if your priority is saving the inspector’s family.

For every outcome, use the Papers Please All Endings Guide. If you are losing citations because of document checks, use the Papers Please Documents Guide.

EZIC Route Decision Flowchart

Use this quick flowchart before committing.

Q1: What day are you on?

Current Day	Best Decision
Before Day 11	You can still choose any major route
Day 11-17	Decide whether to approve EZIC-linked entrants
Day 20	Commit or abandon; Khaled Istom is a major route fork
After Day 27	Your EZIC task count is mostly locked in
Day 31	Check whether the second entrant is an EZIC messenger

Q2: What is your main goal?

Goal	Route
Save your family	Escape route may be better
Overthrow the government	EZIC route
Unlock the clean loyalist result	Avoid major EZIC tasks
See as many endings as possible	Save before Day 11, Day 20, Day 27, and Day 31

Q3: How many EZIC tasks have you completed?

EZIC Tasks Completed	What to Do
0	Stay loyal or prepare escape
1-3	Danger zone; consider escaping if it is too late
4+	Continue to Day 31 and let EZIC succeed

Common EZIC Mistakes

Mistake	Why It Hurts
Helping EZIC once, then stopping	You may become suspicious without earning EZIC protection
Keeping EZIC money	Can trigger investigation and arrest
Forgetting to burn the Day 12 2,000 credits	The second gift is even more dangerous than the first
Missing Marie Escalli	The Day 17 cipher puzzle is easy to overlook
Touching Khaled Istom’s poison	Causes an instant death outcome
Shooting the man in red	Ends the run early instead of continuing the revolution route
Returning Kordon Kallo’s passport	Fails the Day 27 passport task
No EZIC messenger on Day 31	Confirms you did not complete enough major tasks
Shooting EZIC attackers on the final day	Blocks the revolution route
Forgetting normal documents	EZIC tasks do not protect you from ordinary citations

Best Save Points for EZIC Runs

If you want to experiment without replaying the whole game, save around these points:

Save Point	Why It Matters
End of Day 7	Before first EZIC contact
End of Day 10	Before Mikhail Saratov, the first counted task, and the 1,000-credit gift
End of Day 16	Before Marie Escalli and the Day 17 cipher identification
End of Day 19	Before Khaled Istom and the poison task
End of Day 26	Before Kordon Kallo’s passport task
End of Day 30	Before the Day 31 EZIC messenger check and final attack

These saves let you test EZIC, loyalist, and escape outcomes with less repetition.

Final EZIC Checklist

Before entering the final day, confirm:

You made contact with EZIC through Corman Drex.
You completed at least four major EZIC tasks.
You burned the 1,000-credit and 2,000-credit EZIC gifts if they appeared.
You identified and approved Marie Escalli on Day 17 if using her task.
You poisoned Khaled Istom without touching the poison yourself.
You did not end the run early with the man in red event.
You gave Kordon Kallo’s passport to the EZIC operative if using the Day 27 task.
On Day 31, the second entrant is an EZIC messenger.
During the final attack, you do not shoot the EZIC attackers.

If all of that is true, continue to the final day and let EZIC finish the revolution.