Starting July 1, 2025, mobile service will be disconnected for foreign nationals

Since January 2025, foreign nationals can enter into a contract with a mobile operator only if they are registered in the Unified Biometric System (UBS). They are also allowed to register no more than 10 SIM cards in their name.

Foreign nationals who have not submitted their biometric data will be disconnected from service in stages, while those with more than 10 SIM cards will have service terminated on all numbers.

You can prepare to buy a SIM card at the border

Starting June 30, foreign nationals from visa-exempt countries planning to visit Russia can submit an entry application and register their biometric data via the ruID app. A digital profile, including a SNILS number and a Gosuslugi account, will be created at the border. All that remains is to visit a bank once to verify the account and biometric data. There will be no need to take another photograph or record your voice again.

Service restrictions for foreign nationals who violate the rules
✔️ Numbers inactive for more than 3 months will be disconnected immediately.
✔️ Subscribers with active numbers will be disconnected in stages. First, international and long-distance calling services will be blocked and internet speed reduced; after 30 days, communication services will be terminated completely. During this time, users can re-register their contract under the new rules.

To prevent negative consequences, you should:

✔️check how many subscriber numbers are registered in your name – you can do this in the "SIM cards" section of the Gosuslugi portal
✔️terminate contracts for any excess numbers
✔️visit a mobile operator's store and verify your identity for the remaining SIM cards.
To verify your identity at a mobile operator's store, you will need a SNILS number, a verified Gosuslugi account, biometric data registered in the Unified Biometric System, and the unique 15-digit number of your phone device (IMEI).

Also, starting July 1, measures to protect Russians from telephone and cyber fraud will be strengthened.

The article uses an image by freepik