Since December 2024, the Russian Government has been conducting an experiment to test the rules and conditions for entry into and exit from the Russian Federation of foreign citizens and stateless persons (hereinafter referred to as EH/foreign citizens) in order to create a digital profile of the respective citizens.

The above experiment is established by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 № 1510 “On conducting an experiment to test the rules and conditions of entry into the Russian Federation and exit from the Russian Federation of foreign citizens and stateless persons” (hereinafter – the Rules) in order to test the rules of entry/exit not provided for by the Federal Law “On the order of exit from the Russian Federation and entry into the Russian Federation” of 15.08.1996 № 114-FZ.

Digital profile of IG is a set of information provided by IG, as well as by authorized bodies and organizations participating in the experiment, to the extent and in accordance with the procedure stipulated by the Rules, in GIS, including the unified portal “Public Services”, FGIS “Unified system of identification and authentication in the infrastructure providing information and technological interaction of information systems used for the provision of state and municipal services in electronic form” (hereinafter – ESIA), unified biometric system, and related data [1].

The experiment to create a digital profile of the IG is conducted in 2 stages [2]:

Stage Period Venue (checkpoints across the State Border of the Russian Federation): Purpose of holding:
I   

as of December 1, 2024.

(00:00 local time)

until June 30, 2026.

(23:59 local time)

 

 ·          air cargo-passenger permanent multilateral checkpoints across the state border of the Russian Federation at the international airports Moscow (Sheremetyevo), Moscow (Domodedovo), Moscow (Vnukovo) (if technically feasible), Zhukovsky (Moscow Region)- automobile cargo-passenger permanent multilateral checkpoint Mashtakovo (Orenburg Region). approbation of the rules and conditions for Foreign citizens to enter and leave the Russian Federation in order to collect biometric personal data of Foreign citizens when they cross the state border of the Russian Federation through the specified checkpoints across the state border of the Russian Federation.Biometric personal data is collected:

– photographic image of the face;

– papillary patterns of human fingers.

Biometric data are transmitted to the GIS of authorized bodies and organizations participating in the experiment for identification or authentication of Foreign citizens [3].

 
II effective June 30, 2025.

(00:00 local time)

until June 30, 2026

(23:59 local time)

 

  

all checkpoints

across the Russian Federation state border

 

 approbation of the rules and conditions for Foreign citizens to enter and leave the Russian Federation, except for the collection of biometric personal data of Foreign citizens when they cross the state border of the Russian Federation.

To whom it applies: the experiment is mandatory for all foreign citizens entering / leaving the Russian Federation through the relevant checkpoints.

Exceptions:

  • citizens of the Republic of Belarus;
  • Foreign citizens under 6 years of age;
  • heads, employees of Diplomatic Missions and heads, employees of Consulates of foreign states in the Russian Federation and their family members;
  • officials of international organizations (their representative offices) and their family members;
  • holders of diplomatic and service passports (including special, official and other passports) and other valid documents with a diplomatic or service visa, entering / leaving the Russian Federation in connection with the performance of official duties or as part of official delegations, as well as members of their families;
  • Foreign citizens entering / leaving the Russian Federation with valid documents certifying their identity and recognized by the Russian Federation as such, if they have a diplomatic or service visa [4].

Foreign citizens who entered the Russian Federation during the experiment at stage II from 30.06.2025 to 30.06.2026, through all checkpoints, are obliged to place their biometric personal data in the unified biometric systemе [5] within 10 days from the date of entry into the Russian Federation [6]. For this purpose it is necessary to personally apply to the bank, MFC of providing state and municipal services and other organizations in cases defined by federal laws, after identification. And with the personal presence of an individual with his consent on a gratuitous basis these organizations place in electronic form:

  • biometric personal data of an individual – in the unified biometric system;
  • information about a natural person, which is necessary for registration of a natural person in the EUIA, and other information, if such information is provided for by federal laws – in the EUIA [7] .

Actions to be carried out by Foreign citizens prior to the planned entry into the Russian Federation through the relevant checkpoints across the State Border of the Russian Federation.

“Visa-free” Foreign citizens need to:

  1. go through the registration procedure in the unified biometric system using the mobile application of the unified portal;
  2. provide in real time to the mobile application of the unified portal their photos and place their biometric personal data in the unified biometric system using the mobile application of the unified biometric system [8].
  3. submit in electronic form using the mobile application of the unified portal an application for the purpose of entry to the Russian Federation and stay (residence) in the Russian Federation (hereinafter – application for entry to the Russian Federation), containing information, the list of which is established by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in coordination with the Federal Security Service of Russia, the Ministry of Finance of Russia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia:
    • not later than 72 hours before the planned entry into the Russian Federation or
    • not later than 4 hours before the planned entry into the Russian Federation in case of documented circumstances related to the need for emergency treatment, serious illness or death of a close relative and requiring entry into the Russian Federation [9].

Amendments to the application for entry into the Russian Federation shall be made within the above-mentioned time limits.

The validity period of the application for entry into the Russian Federation is 90 days from the date of its submission.

Upon expiration of this period of validity of the application for entry to the RF Foreign citizens planning to enter the RF during the period of the experiment at stage II from 30.06.3025 to 30.06.2026 shall submit a new application for entry to the RF, taking into account the above-mentioned deadlines for its submission [10].

The submission of a new application for entry into the Russian Federation in the presence of an application, the validity of which has not expired, is possible not earlier than 72 hours before the expiration of its validity.

For minors/incapacitated Foreign citizens, an application for entry into the Russian Federation shall be submitted by their legal representatives (parent, guardian, custodian, adoptive parent) / other persons authorized to accompany such persons during their stay in the Russian Federation.

If legal representatives / other persons authorized to accompany are foreign citizens, an application for entry into the RF of a minor / incapacitated Foreign citizens shall be submitted subject to the presence of a valid application for entry into the RF of their legal representatives / other persons authorized to accompany them [11].

In the Personal Cabinet of Foreign citizens on the unified portal, who have submitted an application for entry to the Russian Federation, before entering the Russian Federation during the period of the experiment at stage II from 30.06.3025 to 30.06.2026, information is posted:

  • information on the fact of acceptance of the application for entry into the Russian Federation or, in case of incorrect or incomplete filling in of the said application by Foreign citizens, information on the refusal to accept the said application, including the reasons for the refusal and information on the possibility for Foreign citizens to fill in a new application for entry into the Russian Federation;
  • information on the presence/absence of decisions of internal affairs bodies on non-permission of Foreign citizens to enter the Russian Federation, provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia at the request of Foreign citizens at least once a day based on the results of checking in the IS of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia the information about Foreign citizens specified in the application for entry into the Russian Federation. This information is of a reference nature. Information on other grounds on which Foreign citizens are not subject to passage across the state border of the Russian Federation is not posted in the personal account [12].

After “visa-free” Foreign citizens pass the border control when entering the Russian Federation during the period of the experiment at the II stage from 30.06.2025 to 30.06.2026, through all checkpoints across the state border of the Russian Federation, the information on the presence of a completed application for entry into the Russian Federation by Foreign citizens shall be checked for reliability using the information received from the departmental segment of the Federal Security Service of Russia of the state system of migration and registration registration registration, as well as the production, registration and control of circulation of identity documents (hereinafter – the “Mir” system) through the departmental segment of the Federal Security Service of Russia of the state system of migration and registration registration registration, as well as the production, registration and control of circulation of identity documents (hereinafter – the “Mir” system). [13].

After the Ministry of Digital Development of Russia automatically verifies the reliability of the information specified by Foreign citizens in the application for entry into the Russian Federation by checking it against the information obtained as a result of border control of such Foreign citizens during the period of the experiment at Stage II from 30.06.2025 to 30.06.2026, at all checkpoints across the state border of the Russian Federation, information from the said application, including information on the purpose of entry into the Russian Federation and the planned period of stay (residence) in the Russian Federation, is displayed in the Foreign citizens’ personal account on the unified portal in the form of an electronic application, the composition of the information of which corresponds to the composition of the migration card information. Information from the application for entry into the Russian Federation is equal to the information contained in the migration card, if Foreign citizens presenting this information are authenticated [14].

Under the “visa” Foreign citizens in Phase II from 06/30/2025 to 06/30/2026.

actions are carried out by the operators of the respective systems:

  1. by the operator of the unified biometric system (MinTsifry of Russia) – automatic placement in the unified biometric system of information about Foreign citizens contained in the information in the volume of issued visas, in case MinTsifry of Russia receives such information from the authorized state body that issued (issued) the visa;
  2. by the operator of the unified biometric system (JSC “Center of Biometric Technologies”):

– automatic placement in the unified biometric system of biometric personal data of Foreign citizens: image of a person’s face obtained with the help of photovideo devices (hereinafter – photographic image of a person), in case of receipt of such data from the authorized state body that issued (issued) the visa;

– linking biometric personal data of Foreign citizens placed in the unified biometric system (photographic image of a person) with the identifier of information about Foreign citizens in the EUIA [15].

For Foreign citizens applying for migration and related services:

Foreign citizens registered with the tax authority, who entered the Russian Federation during the relevant period of the experiment through the relevant checkpoints, when applying for state services in the field of migration in the State Budget Institution of Moscow “Multifunctional Migration Center” (Sakharovo) provide, if technically possible, consent to the recognition of information about their employment, entrepreneurial and other activities that bring professional income in the territory of the Russian Federation, publicly available in accordance with par. 1 п. 1 of Art. 102 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

It should be recalled that tax secrecy is any information received by a tax authority, internal affairs bodies, investigative bodies, a state non-budgetary fund body and a customs authority about a taxpayer or an insurance premium payer, except, in particular, for information that is publicly available, including information that became so with the consent of its owner – the taxpayer (insurance premium payer). Such consent shall be provided at the option of the taxpayer (payer of insurance contributions) in respect of all or part of the information received by the tax authority, in the form, format and in accordance with the procedure approved by the Federal Tax Service of Russia [16].

The said consent shall be signed by the IG with a simple electronic signature.

Registration in the tax authority of IGs who are not registered with the tax authorities, who entered the Russian Federation during the relevant period of the experiment through the relevant checkpoints, is carried out on the basis of the IG’s application for registration in the tax authority, submitted to the tax authority, including through the State Budgetary Institution of Moscow “Multifunctional Migration Center” (Sakharovo) [17].

Interaction of the State Budgetary Institution of Moscow “Multifunctional Migration Center” (Sakharovo) with the tax authority in terms of transfer to the tax authority of the IG’s application for registration with the tax authority is carried out using a unified system of interdepartmental electronic interaction.

Foreign citizens staying (residing) on the territory of Moscow, who entered the Russian Federation during the period of the experiment at Stage II from 30.06.2025 to 30.06.2026, through all checkpoints, in order to ensure the possibility of their identification and authentication when applying for state services in the field of migration, as well as on the issues of taking an exam in Russian as a foreign language, Russian history and the basics of Russian legislation for IGs must:

  • to complete the registration procedure in ESIA,
  • to pass the procedure of mandatory state fingerprint registration
  • to place your biometric personal data in the unified biometric system [18].

Foreign citizens who entered the Russian Federation during the period of the experiment at stage I from 01.12.2024 to 30.06.2026, through checkpoints corresponding to the period, applying to the State Budgetary Institution of Moscow “Multifunctional Migration Center” (Sakharovo) to receive state services in the field of migration and to undergo mandatory procedures in the field of migration:

a) undergo voluntary state genomic registration: it is carried out in the presence of consent of a foreign citizen for its conduct and on a free of charge basis. In respect of a minor foreign citizen, consent is provided by his/her parent (adoptive parent, guardian, custodian), in respect of an incapacitated / limited in capacity foreign citizen – by his/her guardian or custodian [19]. The form of consent is set forth in Appendix No. 1 to the Rules for assisting the subdivisions of the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation in conducting voluntary state genomic registration by obtaining, storing, destroying biological material, as well as obtaining and transferring genomic information, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1510 of 07.11.2024.

b) are obliged to obtain an electronic card of a foreign citizen – a material carrier containing information about the holder of the electronic card of a foreign citizen fixed in visual (graphic) and electronic (machine-readable) forms, including information read by means of a QR code identifier placed on this card, as well as to undergo the procedure of collecting biometric personal data [20].

With regard to the electronic card of a foreign citizen, the Moscow City Government in coordination with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the Federal Security Service of Russia determines:

  • categories of foreign citizens to whom the card is issued,
  • procedure for issuing, issuing and maintaining the card, including rules for applying for it,
  • list of documents to be submitted for issuance of the card,
  • grounds for refusal to accept applications for issuance of the card,
  • grounds for refusal to issue the card,
  • grounds for replacement and termination of the card,
  • configuration of visual (graphic) and electronic (machine-readable) personalization of electronic cards of a foreign citizen [21].

Foreign citizens who entered the Russian Federation during the period of the experiment at Stage II from 30.06.2025 to 30.06.2026, through all checkpoints, applying to the State Budgetary Institution of Moscow “Multifunctional Migration Center” (Sakharovo) or to the organizations included in the list [22] of organizations conducting the exam in Russian as a foreign language, Russian history and the basics of Russian legislation for foreign citizens on the issues of taking the exam, must undergo identification and (or) authentication using the ESIA and a unified biometric system [23].

In the case of application of foreign citizens who entered the Russian Federation during the relevant period of the experiment (stages I and II) through the relevant checkpoints for the provision of state services in the sphere of migration, state authorities / organizations providing these services shall verify the availability of the digital profile by checking the QR code identifier using the unified portal, if technically possible, provided by the foreign citizen using the mobile application of the unified portal, or by sending information about the foreign citizen to the IS of the authorized persons.

State authorities / organizations providing public services in the sphere of migration, when foreign citizens who entered the Russian Federation during the relevant period of the experiment (I and II stages) through the relevant checkpoints apply for the provision of services during the period of the experiment from 30.06.2025 to 30.06.2026, have the right to identify foreign citizens by reading QR codes (if technically possible) placed on the electronic card of a foreign citizen [24].

[1] p. 3 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1510 of 07.11.2024

[2] para. 1 of the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 No. 1510

[3] para. 11 of the Rules, approved by the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 № 1510

[4] para. 2 of the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 № 1510, p. 2 of the Rules

[5] in accordance with part 1 of article 4 of the Federal Law “On the identification and (or) authentication of individuals using biometric personal data, on amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation and the invalidation of certain provisions of legislative acts of the Russian Federation” [6] p. 1 of article 4 of the Federal Law “On the implementation of identification and (or) authentication of individuals using biometric personal data, on amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation and the invalidation of certain provisions of legislative acts of the Russian Federation”

[6] para. п. 19 of the Rules, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation from 07.11.2024 № 1510

[7] p. 1, Art. 4 of the Federal Law “On the Identification and (or) Authentication of Individuals using Biometric Personal Data, on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation and Recognition of Certain Provisions of Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation as null and void”

[8] p. ч. 9, Art. 4 of the Federal Law “On the implementation of identification and (or) authentication of individuals using biometric personal data, on amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation and the invalidation of certain provisions of legislative acts of the Russian Federation”

[9] p. 5 of the Rules, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation from 07.11.2024 № 1510

[10] para. 6 of the Rules, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 № 1510

[11] p. 7 of the Rules, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 № 1510

[12] pts. 8, 9 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 No. 1510

[13] para. 12 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1510 dated 07.11.2024

[14] para. 13 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1510 dated 07.11.2024

[15] para. 10 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1510 dated 07.11.2024

[16] par. 1 p. 1 of Art. 102 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

[17] p. 14 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 № 1510

[18] para. 15 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 № 1510

[19] p. 4 of the Rules for assisting the subdivisions of the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation in carrying out voluntary state genomic registration by receiving, storing, destroying biological material, as well as receiving and transmitting genomic information, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 No. 1510

item 16 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 No. 1510

[20] item 16 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 No. 1510

[21] p. 18 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 № 151; Resolution of the Government of Moscow of 06.02.2024 N 205-PP “On the use in the city of Moscow of electronic cards issued to foreign citizens and stateless persons temporarily staying in the territory of the Russian Federation”; Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia of 28.12.2021 N 1167 “On approval of procedures for the use by public authorities of documents in the form of a card with an electronic medium of information, issued to foreign citizens or stateless persons, for their identification with the help of biometric data”.

[22] Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 10.12.2024 N 3641-r

[23] para. 18 of the Rules, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07.11.2024 № 1510

[24] pts. 20-21 of the Rules, approved by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1510 of 07.11.2024

Labor and migration Migration Migration law