The Russian Interior Ministry is planning to introduce universal fingerprinting for all foreigners at border crossing points or on Russian territory after the foreigners’ arrival, Head of the General Administration for Migration Issues of the Russian Interior Ministry Olga Kirillova told TASS.

"Currently, the Russian Interior Ministry, along with the interested federal executive institutions, is working on the issue of further improvement of legislature concerning the obligatory fingerprinting registration of all foreign citizens or stateless persons. We are considering several possible mechanisms for this task, taking into account both Russian and international experience, that is, fingerprinting at Russian border crossing points or directly on the country’s territory after a foreign citizen’s arrival," she said.

Kirillova added that currently, the people required to give their fingerprints are citizens seeking asylum in Russia, persons applying for Russian citizenship, as well as citizens who applied for a temporary residence permit, work permit or a patent.