Digital passport for Russians — 2025: what is it, where does it work, how to apply
On December 29, 2025, Russia will launch the second stage of the introduction of a digital passport, an electronic equivalent of an identity card in QR code format, which can be presented at banks, insurance companies and other organizations. This feature will simplify repeat customer visits by minimizing the need to carry a paper document with you. For more information about what a digital passport is, who can use it, and how to issue it, see the Izvestia article.
What is a digital passport?
The digital passport program in Russia has been developed since 2013, when the concept of introducing an identity card in the form of a plastic card with a chip appeared. Key milestones included prototypes in 2014, presidential support in February 2023, and Decree No. 695 of September 18, 2023, which officially launched the QR version through Gosuslugi.
Today, a digital passport is a QR code with a photo and key identity data generated in the Gosuslugi application.
— This is an electronic version of a paper document certifying the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation. It will contain information about the full name, date of birth, passport data, INN, SNILS, place of registration, as well as biometrics of the citizen. The information will be displayed according to the situation in which the code is presented," said Makka Saligova, lawyer of the Moscow Region Bar Association, mediator of the Center for Legal Assistance and Mediation of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The electronic code acts as a voluntary alternative to a paper passport to confirm identification, providing security through cryptographic protection and displaying only the necessary information.
Where can I use a digital passport?
The introduction of an electronic document is gradual. At the first stage, starting in September 2024, a digital passport was used to enter cinemas, museums, office centers with a pass system, purchase 18+ goods (alcohol and tobacco products), send or receive parcels and registered letters by mail.
From December 29, 2025, a digital passport will be accepted by banks and insurance companies for repeat visits and transactions, unless the law requires an original paper passport, as well as at the MFC for certain services. In the future, it is expected to expand to hotels, medicine and transport, where the QR code will simplify identification without the risk of losing the document.
Who can use a digital passport
According to the lawyer, citizens who have reached the age of 14, registered with the ESIA, whose data is available in the unified biometric system, and who have received a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation will be able to present a QR code instead of an identity card.
— The smartphone itself does not store either the passport image or its details in plain text. A QR code is a dynamically generated key for securely requesting data. Any code generation for security purposes will be displayed in operations on the Gosuslugi portal," explained Makka Saligova.
How to apply for a digital passport
To apply for a digital passport, you need to register and verify your identity on the Gosuslugi portal. After that, you can generate a QR code in the application, which will become a digital identity confirmation. The user can revoke consent to use the digital passport at any time or reactivate it through an enhanced electronic signature in the Gosklyuch application.
Where you can't use a digital passport
A digital passport is not accepted for the initial opening of bank accounts or deposits, since the regulations of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation require the presentation of an original paper passport to identify new customers. It is not applicable in notarial actions, real estate transactions, the issuance of powers of attorney or inheritance cases, where legislation strictly prescribes a physical document with the possibility of visual inspection and markings.
— A QR code is an alternative and equivalent means of presentation only within the established cases specified in the resolution. For all other legal situations, a paper passport remains the main and mandatory document," said lawyer Makka Saligova.
Also, a QR code does not replace a passport in lawsuits, when obtaining a passport, applying for employment with document verification, traveling abroad, or medical procedures that require a complete set of originals. In these cases, a paper passport remains mandatory.
What is the penalty for forging a digital passport?
Forgery of a digital passport in Russia is criminalized under Article 327 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which applies to forgery, manufacture or trafficking of forged documents, which include a digital passport as an official electronic document. For using or manufacturing a fake digital passport, the penalty is a fine of up to 300 thousand rubles, restriction of liberty for up to three years, forced labor or imprisonment for up to three years. If the forgery involves concealing another crime or facilitating it, the term of imprisonment may be increased to four to six years.
In addition, the misuse of electronic signature keys required to generate a digital passport is also punishable by fines from 100,000 to 300,000 rubles and imprisonment for up to three years. Employees of the certification centers who intentionally contributed to the forgery face a fine of up to 300 thousand rubles or imprisonment for up to four years.
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