Russia is Set to Shift Civil Registry Offices to Digital Records
Russia plans to end the mandatory issuance of paper documents, retaining the requirement only for birth certificates
At an all-Russian meeting of regional civil registry officials in Kazan, Russian Justice Minister Konstantin Chuychenko said the country had built the digital infrastructure needed to modernize civil registry services in recent years. The priority now, he said, is to make the most effective use of that infrastructure to improve convenience for the public. Chuychenko also said the ministry plans to move civil registry services to a register-based model, adding that work on the transition is already underway.
The Ministry of Justice has drafted a bill that would eliminate the requirement to issue paper documents. Birth certificates would be exempt because they serve as proof of identity for children under 14. Experts say the change would primarily make life easier for the public by eliminating the need to carry around stacks of paperwork.
People who prefer an attractive marriage certificate to an extract from the registry will still have that option. Paper documents will remain available on a voluntary basis, officials say. Photo: Mikhail Tereshchenko / TASS
