How are foreign citizens monitored in Russia today? A new report by the Analytical Unit of the Network “Migration and Law” examines the growing system of surveillance targeting foreign nationals.
In recent years, Russian authorities have built an increasingly comprehensive monitoring system combining repressive policies, advanced technologies, restrictive regulations, and centralized power.
The report documents major regulatory changes introduced in 2024-2025, including new measures applied specifically to foreign citizens:
• mandatory voice sample collection
• genomic registration
• geolocation tracking applications
• expanded biometric and personal data collection
• mandatory voice sample collection
• genomic registration
• geolocation tracking applications
• expanded biometric and personal data collection
Surveillance often begins even before a person enters Russia. Once inside the country, movements and activities may be monitored through video cameras, financial databases, online tracking systems, and other digital tools.
If migration systems register a violation, individuals can automatically be placed in “expulsion mode,” which restricts movement, banking access, and other daily activities.
The report warns that these systems significantly expand state surveillance powers, often without effective safeguards for human rights. Some technologies introduced for monitoring foreign citizens may also later be applied more broadly.
Read the full report below.
On New Methods, Regulations, and Technologies for Surveillance of Foreign Citizens in Russia