The State Duma has approved amendments to the law On the Procedure for Leaving and Entering the Russian Federation in its final reading. The changes introduce new rules about passports for conscripts and certain categories of Russian citizens. The document was published in the official Duma records after approval in the lower house.
Under the newly adopted provisions, if a Russian citizen’s exit from the country is restricted under the grounds outlined in paragraphs 2 and 7 of article 15 of the exit law, the person’s passport may be retained by the relevant state authority that issued the passport. The passport is to be delivered within five working days after the citizen is notified of the travel restriction. It will be held by the government office until the temporary restriction ends or the passport’s validity expires.
One key point in the updated law is the possibility of temporarily restricting the right to leave Russia for citizens called up for military service or assigned to alternative civilian service. The travel ban remains in effect until the completion of the service period.
Subparagraph 7 of Article 15 adds that individuals employed by federal security agencies face travel restrictions that extend until the end of their current employment contract. The revisions also broaden the grounds on which a passport can be declared invalid, expanding the set of circumstances in which travel rights may be limited.
The legislative changes are designed to come into force after the standard constitutional process is completed. Once approved by the Federation Council and signed by the president, the law would take effect one hundred eighty days after its official publication, giving offices and citizens time to adjust to the new rules.