OtherNov 11, 2026, 11:17 AM UTC·1 min read

Russia's Digital Profile of Foreign Nationals to Launch Dec. 1

Russia's interior ministry says its Digital Profile of a Foreign Citizen is due to be fully operational from 1 December 2026, with a government meeting set this week.

A border checkpoint officer scanning a foreign traveler's passport and biometric data at a terminal. — Image: Хабр

Russia's Digital Profile of a Foreign Citizen is due to start full operation on 1 December 2026, according to Andrei Kikot, first deputy interior minister and head of the Interior Ministry's migration service. The government is currently discussing how to put the system into service.

Kikot said the launch follows a presidential decision. The system is being tested, and a government meeting on commissioning it is scheduled for the end of this week. "It should start working on December 1 by decision of the president, it will work, and we are currently testing all these issues," he said.

Test mode since July

According to Kikot, the resource has effectively been running in test mode since July. It has been accumulating information that passes through border checkpoints, including biometrics and other data.

The service itself has operated since 30 June 2026 and is run by the Interior Ministry. It holds identifying details on foreign nationals along with several categories of records: identity documents, migration registration, employment, education, health insurance, real estate, vehicles, administrative offences and any current entry restrictions on Russia.

What it means

By 1 December 2026, the profile is supposed to contain complete, up-to-date data on every foreign citizen in Russia. For foreign residents, workers and visitors, that means a single state database consolidating records previously held separately, including biometric data collected at the border.

The outcome of this week's government meeting on commissioning the system will show whether the 1 December date holds.

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Tags:russiadigital profilemigrationbiometricsgovernment it