Russia: Passed Bill No. 647048-8 amending the Law on Communications and the Law on the Implementation of Identification and/or Authentication of Individuals Using Biometric Personal Data

On 30 July 2024, the Bill amending the Law on Communications and the Law on the Implementation of Identification and/or Authentication of Individuals Using Biometric Personal Data was passed by the State Duma. The Bill targets mobile radiotelephone service providers in Russia, specifically communication operators involved in mobile phone services. The Bill requires operators to verify the identity of foreign citizens and stateless persons through the unified identification and authentication system before providing services, include user equipment identifiers in contracts, and adhere to new compliance requirements. Additionally, the Bill limits such individuals to a maximum of 10 mobile service contracts and requires submission of subscriber contract details and equipment identifiers to the unified biometric system. The Bill will come into force on 1 November 2024, with existing contracts needing compliance by 1 March 2025.