Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation launches a project to hand over biometrics by foreigners

Federal Biometric Accounting Information System

Main article: Federal Biometric Accounting Information System

2024: Russian Ministry of Digital Development launches project to pass biometrics by foreigners

On August 30, 2024, the Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation announced the launch of a project to hand over biometric data by foreigners and stateless persons upon entering Russia. One of the goals of the initiative is to improve state control in the field of migration through the use of modern technologies.

In accordance with the new rules, foreigners will hand over a face image and fingerprints when entering Russia. At the first stage, the requirement will affect visitors crossing the border at Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Zhukovsky airports, as well as at the Mashtakovo checkpoint in the Orenburg region. In the future, this measure will apply to all foreigners.

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Freepik

For visa-free entry into Russia, all foreigners will submit biometrics in a special application in advance and submit an application with their data and information on the purpose of the visit. To visit the country on a visa basis, visitors will need to submit documents, including a photo questionnaire; at the same time, the procedure for applying for a visa will remain the same. As part of the new initiative, digital profiles of foreign citizens and stateless persons will be formed. The main goals of the project are named:

· Testing of new rules for entering Russia and leaving the country of foreigners;

· Testing ways to collect information, process and apply a digital profile;

· Testing of mechanisms and procedures for collecting biometric data of foreign citizens and stateless persons at checkpoints across the State border;

· Testing of electronic cards issued to foreign citizens and stateless persons temporarily staying in the city of Moscow.

The changes do not affect citizens of Belarus, children under six years old, diplomats, employees of diplomatic missions and consulates, employees of international organizations and their missions accredited in Russia, as well as family members.^[1]

2021

Migrants in Russia will receive patent cards with a chip containing fingerprints

In December 2021, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ministry of Internal Affairs) of Russia, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, signed an order approving the form of a patent issued to a foreign citizen or stateless person who arrived in the Russian Federation in a manner that does not require a visa.

Starting December 29, 2021, labor migrants will receive patents for work in the form of a card with a chip containing an electronic image of the face and fingerprints of its owner.

Migrants in the Russian Federation will receive patents-cards with a chip containing fingerprints

A patent with an electronic carrier looks like a card measuring 8.5 x 5.3 cm, on the front side of which there is a photo, series and numbers of the patent and passport, the name of the owner, date of birth, citizenship, profession and TIN. On the other side is the name of the subject of the Russian Federation, on the territory of which its owner works, by whom and when the document was issued, TASS reports with reference to the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

A separate order describes the procedure for assisting the main department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow from the city. The document allows the city authorities to determine authorized organizations that must photograph migrants, scan their fingerprints and transmit information to the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow on the day they are received.

In September 2021, the Ministry of Internal Affairs published a draft order, according to which migrants arriving in Russia will have to receive a card with a chip about the fingerprint passed. The rule will apply to foreigners and stateless persons who arrive in the country for a period of 90 days or more not for work, and to labor migrants.

In addition, the ministry also proposed issuing a residence permit to migrants in the form of a card with a chip and personal data of the owner. The same plastic card will be received as a temporary identity card of a stateless person, the department said.^[2]

Create digital profiles of all migrants

At the end of March 2021, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) of Russia announced the upcoming launch of a unified information platform for registering migrants, which will include their digital profiles.

According to TASS, citing the press service of the department, the digital profile will include information on the legal status of the visitor, his place of residence and work, as well as biometric data. With its help, foreigners will be able to receive public services in electronic format, conclude labor relations with the employer, pay taxes and other mandatory payments, receive newsletters about the upcoming expiration of permits, stay and the need to leave Russia.

Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation creates digital profiles of all migrants

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the creation of an information system with the ability to store a digital profile is included in the action plan for the implementation of the concept of state migration policy in 2020-2022. The timing of the implementation and launch of the system is not called. It is only known that the implementation of the project is carried out by the Ministry of Digital Science together with the Ministry of Digital Development of Internal Affairs.

In early January 2021, Pavel Dutov, Deputy Head of the Department for External Labor Migration of the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, reported that the Ministry of Internal Affairs plans to submit a bill for consideration in the State Duma in a year providing for the digitalization of the entire migration system of Russia. He also noted that in 2021 the department will launch a system that allows real-time exchange of information between departments, including in this way it will be possible to check the medical certificates of migrants provided to the police to obtain patents.

In 2020, Russian citizenship received a record number of foreigners in 15 years - 656.3 thousand people.^[3]

2020

Replacing paper migration cards with electronic ones

On September 11, 2020, it became known about the prepared MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS RUSSIAN FEDERATION new version of the law "On the legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation," within the framework of which the ministry proposes to oblige foreign citizens who have been in the Russian Federation for more than 30 days to take fingerprints and receive electronic ID cards with data about themselves and issued patents for work.

Electronic ID, as conceived by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, should replace paper migration cards. They are offered to indicate the name, year and place of birth, card number, QR code, holographic photo of the owner, data on the driver's license and issued patents for work. The document can be issued through the Public services portal, the Ministry of Internal Affairs notes. It is assumed that electronic ID cards will help avoid fakes and waste time checking them.

Ministry of Internal Affairs decided to replace paper migration cards with electronic

Valentina Kazakova, head of the main department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Migration, spoke about the preparation of a "completely new" version of the law "On the legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation." She explained that the ministry proposes to give migrants the opportunity to change the purpose of arriving in Russia "on the go," without leaving the country. This will make it possible to get out of the situation when leaving the Russian Federation for foreign citizens who arrived in it is difficult "due to the pandemic and other circumstances," Kommersant reports.

Kazakova noted that the idea of ​ ​ fingerprinting all those entering Russia has been discussed for several years. However, instead of the earlier idea of ​ ​ obtaining fingerprints right at the border, for which it would be necessary to install appropriate equipment at all posts, the Ministry of Internal Affairs now proposes to oblige migrants to hand over fingerprints on their own upon arrival.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reminded the publication that they are developing amendments on behalf of Vladimir Putin as part of the new state migration policy.^[4]

The Ministry of Communications is developing a system for accounting and notification of migrants

On August 21, 2020, it became known about the creation of the Ministry of Communications of the platform for accounting and notification of migrants, within the framework of which a single database of foreign citizens will be created. It is assumed that the departments will be able to exchange information to provide foreigners with public services in electronic form. Migrants will be able to use the system through a mobile application with a personal account, and access to it will be open even from abroad.

According to Kommersant, the Ministry of the Interior was previously engaged in the development of this platform. However, since the system should be integrated with the portal of public services, its creation was entrusted to the Ministry of Communications. The working group should include the ministries of internal affairs, foreign affairs, as well as labor and social protection. It is noted that the creation of the system will require 200-500 million rubles.

The Ministry of Communications creates a system for accounting and notification of migrants

According to experts interviewed by the publication, as a result of the creation of the platform, a service may appear that resembles a portal of public services, which will tell migrants what to do in a particular life situation, but one of the most difficult problems will be the transfer of data on migrants that have been accumulated in various departments and ensuring their integrity: special solutions will be required that will remove duplicate information.

It will take at least a year to develop the platform, says Vadim Sabashny, director of production at LANIT-Terkom. The main difficulty is not in creating a mobile application, but in ensuring information exchange with existing systems, including bringing data to a single form and ensuring correct data migration, he believes.

According to the data, MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Russia about 16.5-17 million migrants come to each year. A platform for their accounting and notification is being created during measures to implement the migration policy for states 2020-2022.^[5]

The start of the development of a unified database of accounting for foreigners

On June 4, 2020, it became known that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is starting to create a unified database of foreigners. This project became part of a new plan for the development of migration policy, which was developed by the department.

According to TASS with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a single information platform will be created containing information about foreign citizens. The solution will ensure the provision of public services, interaction between citizens, organizations and government agencies in electronic form.

Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation creates a single database on foreigners

In addition, the platform will allow introducing personalized information services - a personal account and sending notifications in a mobile application, the ministry said. The timing of the launch of such a database by the beginning of June 2020 has not been announced.^[6]

Also, the department's plan assumes:

• formation of the state system of planning and management of migration processes;
• forecasting the socio-economic and investment needs of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation;
• accounting and redistribution of human resources by sectors of the economy and enterprises.

It is planned to create a new legal regime for the long-term stay of foreign citizens in Russia, modernize mechanisms for regulating labor migration, ensuring security and law and order in the migration sphere, as well as comprehensive informatization of the public administration system in the field of migration, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said.

Proposals for the creation of a single information portal, appendix and on reforming the migration regime were contained in the materials of the working group on the implementation of the concept. Vladimir Putin instructed to adjust the concept in accordance with the ideas developed by the working group back in March. The head of the presidential administration Anton Vaino was appointed responsible for the implementation of the plan.

See also

• Electronic Visa System
• Electronic visas in Russia

Notes