Automatic passport control is set to begin at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport and Yekaterinburg’s Koltsovo airport in 2024. The announcement came from Vitaly Savelyev, head of the Russian Ministry of Transport, during a recent briefing with TASS. The plan points to a new phase in how international travelers pass through border controls, aiming to streamline the process while maintaining security standards.
Officials explained that the forthcoming system will verify passport data automatically, allowing border control staff to focus on supervision rather than manual data checks. The goal is to reduce queue times and speed up the entry experience for travelers arriving at major hubs across the country.
In Savelyev’s explanation, the new technology will be rolled out at Vnukovo and Koltsovo next year, expanding the use of automated verification at entry points. The project aligns with broader efforts to modernize aviation infrastructure and enhance passenger convenience without compromising border security.
Industry observers note that Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport already operates a similar automatic passport control system, providing a real-world benchmark for the program’s effectiveness and reliability. The parallel deployment across multiple airports reflects a coordinated effort to standardize the technology and user experience.
Joint statements from Russian Railways, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Digital Development in July highlighted related advances, including the potential for facial recognition to identify travelers on rail routes. While progress in rail and air terminals continues, the emphasis remains on safeguarding privacy and ensuring robust safeguards against misuse of biometric data.
Earlier developments in Russia also included piloting a unified set of contactless services designed to expedite passenger interactions with border processes, though officials clarified that any biometric usage would be governed by strict regulatory controls and clear consent mechanisms. The evolving framework seeks to balance speed with accountability across transport modalities.