Biometric Controls Tightened at Russia’s Borders: 70,000 People Denied Entry

Photo: Sergey Savostyanov

Since Russia began a pilot project to collect biometric data from foreign nationals nearly 70,000 foreign citizens have been denied entry into the country.

According to Russia’s Interior Ministry, during the same period, a total of 14 million people submitted their biometric data while passing through border control.

Two types of data are collected when entering Russia

The procedure has been in use since December 1, 2024 and foreign nationals are identified upon entry using two main biometric parameters:

• a person’s photograph;

• fingerprints.

The data is collected at border control checkpoints and verified in an electronic system.

“The system not only helps collect biometric data, but also identify people who left the country after being banned from entering, changed their personal data and attempted to re-enter Russia,” the Russian Interior Ministry’s press service said.

At which checkpoints is the system operating?

During the initial stage of the pilot project, Moscow’s Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports, as well as the Mashtakovo road border checkpoint in Orenburg Region, were connected to the system.

From May 1, 2025, Vnukovo Airport was also added to the list.

Another 11 checkpoints were added in 2026

In June 2026, the biometric data collection system was introduced in several more regions.

These included the cities of St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Yekaterinburg, as well as another 11 checkpoints in Altai Krai and the Irkutsk, Kurgan, Novosibirsk, Saratov, Orenburg and Omsk regions, which were equipped with the system.

Thus, the identification of foreign nationals at Russia’s borders is gradually being digitized, while the scope of biometric controls is expanding.