Important assumption: immigrant drivers will be sent to the traffic police for exams
Starting from April 1, foreigners who have obtained Russian citizenship or a residence permit will not be allowed to drive vehicles according to their national rights. To obtain a Russian driver's license, they will have to take exams, and in some cases, study at a driving school. Izvestia found out who these restrictions concern, what will happen to those who do not change their rights, and how this will affect freight and passenger transportation.
No kidding
Foreigners who obtained Russian citizenship or a residence permit before April 1 last year and do not exchange their national rights for Russian ones before April 1, 2025, will have to take a theory exam at the State Traffic Inspectorate, and in some cases, study at a driving school and take not only theory, but also practice. This is provided for by amendments to the law "On Road Safety" that came into force last spring, according to which national driver's licenses are considered valid on the territory of the Russian Federation for one year from the date their holder receives Russian citizenship or residence permit.
At the same time, a simplified procedure was in place for the exchange of national rights for Russian rights throughout the past year. Starting from April 1, it stops, and now new citizens of the Russian Federation and holders of a residence permit will have to successfully pass the traffic law exam at the State Traffic Inspectorate. This requirement applies to holders of rights of categories M (mopeds), A (motorcycles) and B (passenger cars), as well as subcategories A1, B1. To exchange national rights to drive trucks and buses (categories C and D, as well as their subcategories, including for driving with a trailer), you will have to take a course study at a driving school, and then pass both "theory" and "practice". Such requirements do not apply to driver's licenses issued in Belarus.
Driving a vehicle with national rights after the specified date is considered a traffic violation, for which a fine of 5-15 thousand rubles is threatened.
Verification difficulties
The need for such an exchange is caused by certain difficulties in checking by police officers the legality of issuing driver's documents in other countries, Igor Morzharetto, a member of the Presidium of the Public Council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, told Izvestia. In a number of countries, the situation with obtaining driver's licenses "raises questions," he noted.
— Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to establish an exchange of information on issued driver's licenses with a number of states, while doubts often arise about the legality and legality of such documents. Therefore, it was decided to exchange national rights for Russian rights within a year after a foreign driver receives Russian citizenship or a residence permit with a mandatory check of his knowledge of traffic regulations," Igor Morzharetto told Izvestia.
Problems with the legality of issuing driver's licenses are also confirmed by high—ranking officials of some EAEU member states. For example, recently announcing the introduction of on-site checks on traffic violations in Kyrgyzstan from September 1, presidential spokesman Askat Alagozov admitted that not all rights issued in Kyrgyzstan were legally obtained.
— After the 1990s, many people got driver's licenses without even studying traffic regulations. Unfortunately, many got their rights not through training, but through purchase. Only 20-30% of drivers actually passed the exams. Until 2020, driver's licenses were massively sold for 15-20 thousand soms. Now this practice has been completely discontinued, and everyone gets their rights only after training," he explained the need to introduce a new form of traffic control among motorists in Kyrgyzstan.
However, a member of the Presidium of the Public Council at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation considers the requirement to study at a driving school and pass theory and practice for the exchange of "cargo" and "bus" rights to be excessive. In his opinion, in this case it was quite possible to do without checking the knowledge of traffic regulations, as in the case of "passenger cars" and "motorcycle" licenses.
— Many people came to Russia, got citizenship or a residence permit and got a job as a truck or bus driver to earn money. Instead, they have to spend six months studying. I think that testing the "theory" would be quite enough," Igor Morzharetto believes.
Taxi drivers are already legalized
Despite the fact that a large number of migrants work in the taxi, passenger and cargo transportation sectors, the experts interviewed by Izvestia do not foresee problems in these industries due to the need to replace rights.
In many regions of the country, there has long been a ban on foreign drivers working in the field of taxi transportation, Irina Zaripova, chairman of the Public Council for Taxi Development, told Izvestia. Therefore, a significant part of the drivers of cars with "checkers" are already Russian citizens and have Russian driver's licenses, she noted.
— There is a problem of shortage of taxi drivers. However, I do not think that it will worsen due to the need to replace foreign rights with Russian ones," Irina Zaripova believes.
Taras Koval, president of the Association of Transport Experts and Specialists, does not foresee difficulties in passenger transportation by public transport, where the share of drivers from other countries is also high. According to him, since the introduction of this requirement has been known for a long time, most bus fleets have obliged their expat employees in advance to take care of the exchange of national rights for Russian ones.
As for cargo transportation, according to Taras Koval, the peak of the shortage of truckers has already passed, and the situation in this area is returning to normal. Already, carriers are gradually abandoning the services of foreign drivers.
— In the past, when the problem of staff shortages was particularly acute, companies were ready to put anyone behind the wheel of a truck, no matter with what rights. Russian citizens with Russian driver's licenses already have priority," he stressed.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
