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Russia will require all foreign nationals in the Moscow region to install government tracking apps on their phones starting September 1, 2025. The four-year experimental program collects real-time location data, fingerprints, and facial photos from migrants while threatening deportation for those who refuse to comply.
State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin announced the measure as a crime prevention tool. He said the technology would “strengthen control in the migration sphere” and help reduce violations by foreign workers.
The app will monitor users constantly through GPS tracking. Foreign workers must also report any address changes to the Ministry of Internal Affairs within three business days. Only diplomats and Belarusian citizens are exempt from the requirements.
Non-compliant individuals face serious consequences. Authorities will add them to the National Register of Illegal Migrants, which blocks access to banking, employment, and housing services. They may also face deportation from Russia.
Digital rights advocates have raised constitutional concerns about the program. Anna Minushkina, a lawyer with Roskomsvoboda, argues the tracking requirement violates Articles 23 and 24 of Russia’s Constitution, which protect personal privacy and data rights.
“Mandating such invasive surveillance via a smartphone app fundamentally infringes on individual rights,” Minushkina said.
Migrant community leaders worry about practical problems with the technology. Viktor Teplyankov, who heads the Uzbek Community in Moscow, called the proposal “poorly thought out” and questioned what happens when phones are stolen or apps crash.
“These are real, everyday scenarios the policy doesn’t seem to account for,” Teplyankov said.
The program could hurt Russia’s economy, which depends heavily on foreign workers. Migrants fill crucial roles in construction, agriculture, and service jobs that keep cities running.
Andrey Yakimov from the PSP Foundation warned that restrictive policies might scare away needed workers. “These are the people building infrastructure and keeping cities running. If they don’t feel safe or welcome, they won’t come,” Yakimov said.
The experimental program runs until September 2029. Russian officials plan to expand it nationwide if they consider it successful. About one million foreign nationals currently live and work in the greater Moscow area.
The tracking law comes months after Russia launched its National Register of Illegal Migrants. The register already includes 685,000 people who have lost basic rights like opening bank accounts or changing residence.
