Russia Plans Mandatory IMEI Registration for Gray-Market Phones

Russia's Ministry of Digital Development is preparing a requirement that smartphones brought into the country without customs clearance be registered by IMEI, the device's unique identification number. Owners will have two weeks to do so, after which unregistered devices will no longer be served on mobile networks, according to sources.

The ministry says the rule will apply to people who bought a phone abroad and carried it into Russia themselves, as well as to buyers of counterfeit smartphones. Registration will be possible through the Gosuslugi government services portal. If the deadline passes without registration, the devices will not be serviced on networks, the ministry added.

Older devices exempt

Phones that were already operating on Russian networks before April 2027 will keep working without registration, regardless of how they entered the country. The ministry stressed that the draft is still being discussed within the government apparatus and its provisions may change.

One source said the measure targets gray imports, in particular small-scale traders who bring in devices one at a time for resale.

Part of the anti-fraud package

The move builds on the second package of anti-fraud measures adopted by the State Duma in summer 2026, which provides for an IMEI database. According to a government resolution, the database will also be used to block stolen, lost and illegally imported mobile phones. The ministry has said data will flow into it from mobile operators, which register devices on their networks, and from the Federal Customs Service when devices are imported.

For consumers, the change would mean an extra step for anyone buying a phone abroad, where prices or models may differ from the Russian market. For resellers of gray-market devices, it would add a formal barrier. The final rules, including the exact start date, will depend on the outcome of the government's review.