The Moscow government will begin issuing electronic identification cards for foreign citizens starting in 2025. This was announced by the mayor of the Russian capital, Sergey Sobyanin, in an interview with TASS.
The "electronic passport" will be issued to labor migrants as part of an experimental program. It will include details such as the migrant's arrival date, workplace, residency or registration information, as well as biometric data.
During police raids, officers will primarily check electronic identification cards, for which they will be provided with special devices. If any issues are discovered during the verification, the officer will be required to take appropriate action.
“Having recorded this information on the device, he [the police officer] cannot let them go if it shows red—indicating they are wanted, or that their stay has expired, [or] that they have violated immigration regulations,” Sobyanin noted.
Additionally, biometric control (photography and fingerprinting) for all foreigners, including citizens from visa-free countries, will be organized at the Moscow aviation hub. Currently, this procedure is only in effect at Domodedovo Airport.
These new measures are part of a recently adopted federal law, Sobyanin noted. In his opinion, having a database of biometric data for all incoming individuals will enhance crime-solving capabilities.
The mayor also discussed plans to increase the cost of patents for foreign workers from the current 7,500 to 8,900 rubles per month (from 994.7 thousand to 1.18 million sums). This 18.7% increase will help equalize the expenses for employers regarding migrants and Russian citizens, he stated.
“An important aspect is that migrants should pay comparable amounts to our citizens in terms of taxes. We base this on the income tax contributions of our citizens and compare them with this category of workers,” Sobyanin pointed out.
Earlier, Spot reported that Russia has nearly halved the quota for temporary residency of foreigners.