Russia tightens control over migrants

New rules have been introduced to strengthen control over migrants. Now, entry into Russia is only possible after prior registration.

According to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation dated November 7, 2024, starting from June 30, 2025, all foreigners, including citizens of Tajikistan, entering Russia under the visa-free regime must register in advance in the “Gosuslugi RuID” app and obtain a digital code for border control.

For this, citizens of Tajikistan must fill out an entry application and indicate their intended duration of stay in Russia no later than 72 hours, and in exceptional cases no later than 4 hours before the planned entry, register in the “Gosuslugi RuID” mobile app, create a personal account, upload a photo and personal data, and obtain a QR code.

Crossing the border is only possible after presenting the QR code at border control. Exceptions apply only to citizens of Belarus, children under 6 years old, as well as holders of visas, residence permits, or temporary residence permits.

Also, starting from June 30, 2025, all airports and border checkpoints will collect fingerprints, photographs, and other biometric data from foreigners.

However, this is not the only law aimed at strengthening control over migrants — starting from September 1, 2025, the authorities of Moscow and the Moscow region will begin to monitor the location of migrants entering the capital region. The bill to conduct such an experiment was approved by the State Duma deputies on May 20. Foreigners will be required to register in a “specialized mobile application” and independently provide the Ministry of Internal Affairs with data on their location. Attempting to bypass geolocation control will result in migrants being included in a registry of controlled individuals, which may lead to their expulsion from Russia.

It should be noted that over the past year, the State Duma of Russia has adopted several new laws that further complicate the already difficult conditions for the stay and employment of migrants.

It should be noted that in recent years, there has been a rise in xenophobia and anti-migrant sentiment in Russia. Law enforcement agencies conduct mass raids on the streets, in hostels, cafes, and markets, where migrants are often treated brutally, beaten, and have their patents or residence permits revoked. This particularly affects citizens of Central Asian countries, including Tajikistan. They are also deprived of their residence permits and even citizenship for evading participation in the war in Ukraine.