Obligation of foreign citizens to undergo dactylography and photography

LEGAL DIGEST, NEWS \ 24.01.2022

The President of the Russian Federation has signed a law obliging foreign citizens to undergo dactyloscopy registration, photographic registration and medical examination if they stay in Russia.  

Starting from December 29, 2021, the executive bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation organize the following mandatory procedures for foreign citizens arriving in the Russian Federation:

• dactyloscopy registration (fingerprinting);
• photographic registration with subsequent biometric identification;
• medical examination for the presence or absence of the use of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances without a doctor’s prescription, infectious diseases that pose a danger to others.

The new obligations are applied to all categories of foreign citizens arriving in Russia for the purpose of carrying out labour activities. The exception is citizens of the Republic of Belarus.

Dactylography and photographic registration 

The deadline for completing the procedures is 30 calendar days from the moment of entry into the Russian Federation or when applying for a patent or when obtaining a work permit. The frequency of undergoing is on one occasion.

Please note that these procedures are recommended to be carried out after passing a medical examination. Since the undergoing of dactylography and photographic registration is possible only with medical certificates.

List of required documents:

• passport of a foreign citizen;
• certificate of the absence of the disease, obtained as a result of a medical examination.

Based on the results of the procedure, a document is issued confirming its undergoing. If there is a technical possibility in the region, the document can be issued in the form of a card with an electronic medium for storing biometric and personal data of the owner.

Medical examination

The deadline for completing the procedure is before undergoing dactylography and photographic registration, but not later than 30 calendar days from the date of entry into the Russian Federation. The frequency of undergoing – within 30 calendar days after the expiration of the documents from the previous medical examination.

The place of the procedure is recommended to be specified on the website of the executive body of the territorial entity of the Russian Federation.

List of required documents:

• passport of a foreign citizen and its notarized translation into Russian (transliteration has to match the data in the visa or work permit);
• arrival-departure record;
• tear-off card for notification of migration registration.

This procedure is recommended to be completed in advance, since the term for issuing a medical certificate is not more than 5 working days. The results of the medical examination have to be submitted to the territorial executive authorities in the field of internal affairs.

If a foreign citizen fails to fulfill his or her obligations to undergo dactylography, photography or medical examination, the bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs may decide:

• on the reduction of the period of his or her temporary stay in the Russian Federation;
• on the undesirability of a foreigner’s stay in Russia.

Also, with respect to a foreign citizen, a decision may be made to prohibit entry into the Russian Federation if:

• a foreign individual does not undergo the mandatory procedures within the prescribed period;
• the fact of the use of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances will be revealed, as well as the presence of an infectious disease that poses a danger to others.

In the matters of migration legislation, please contact Acsour’s Legal Department.