Russia’s New Digital Passport to Store Biometric and Legal Data

Russia is preparing to launch electronic passports packed with biometric and legal identifiers — part of a sweeping national effort to digitize government and social services.

Russia is set to begin issuing electronic passports in the form of a plastic card embedded with a chip and biometric data. The new e-passport will include not only standard identity details and a photo but also additional records like tax ID, pension number, driver’s license, fingerprint scans, retinal images, multi-angle photos with holograms, and a digital signature.

To activate the document, users will need to install a companion app and scan a unique QR code. The e-passport will be valid for ten years.

Authorities plan to eventually replace traditional paper IDs nationwide. Residents of Novosibirsk will be among the first to receive the new passports when the phased rollout begins in August 2025.

Russia’s digital transformation initiative is extending beyond identification. This year, the banking sector is introducing mandatory biometric verification for access to online services, aiming to secure financial transactions.

Other reforms include expanding the national digital product tracking system to curb counterfeit goods and digitizing social benefit payments for improved efficiency and transparency.