Starting June 30, foreign nationals traveling to Russia under visa-free arrangements must submit an electronic pre-entry application and obtain a QR code granting entry permission.
Visitors are required to provide a photo, passport details, travel purpose, and intended stay duration through the RuID mobile app within 72 hours before arrival. Upon approval, the app issues a QR code that must be presented upon entry, alongside biometric data submission. This rule does not apply to travelers entering with a visa, temporary residence permit, or permanent residency.
This new procedure is part of a broader tightening of immigration controls implemented since a March 2024 terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall, allegedly by a Tajik citizen. Since then, Russia has passed over ten laws making immigration more difficult.
Law enforcement agencies have increased surprise inspections at locations frequented by labor migrants such as markets, mosques, gyms, and barbershops. Authorities have established a registry for foreigners considered to be residing illegally, which triggers rights restrictions and deportation proceedings. Simplified residence permits for spouses of Russian citizens were revoked, while since April 1, migrant children must pass Russian language tests and residency checks to enroll in school. From September 1, foreigners living in Moscow and the Moscow region must undergo fingerprinting, biometric photography, and use a special mobile app to report their residence.
These measures heavily affect labor migrants from Central Asia who seek employment and better wages in Russia. Despite widespread wage theft, bureaucratic obstacles, daily abuse and discrimination, threats from law enforcement and civilians, and pressure from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the number of Central Asian labor migrants remains high. According to Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, the 2022 total of registered labor migrants from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan reached a five-year peak, with roughly 1 million Kyrgyz, 3.5 million Tajiks, and 5.8 million Uzbeks seeking work in Russia. (Some figures may include duplicates due to transit registrations.)
The new QR code requirement effectively upends the visa-free regime with Central Asian countries, which heavily rely on labor migration to Russia. However, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry denies that the new measure constitutes a visa.
“We maintain a visa-free regime with Russia that remains valid. The new rule is just a transit requirement,” a ministry spokesperson said recently. “Kazakh citizens traveling to Russia should familiarize themselves with the new transit conditions to avoid unexpected issues.”
Other Central Asian governments have yet to comment.
Regardless of whether it is considered a visa, Russia’s new QR code system aligns with a global trend of introducing pre-travel authorizations. The European Union plans to launch the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) by the end of 2026, requiring visa-free travelers to obtain authorization before entering 30 European countries. The authorization is linked to the traveler’s passport and is valid for up to three years or until passport expiry, but it does not guarantee entry. The UK implemented a similar Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system in 2023, requiring prior approval for visa-free visitors.
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