Russia to make fingerprint registration mandatory for foreigners

Russia will start mandatory fingerprint registration and photography for foreign nationals arriving in the country.

The new rules will come into force on Dec. 29 under a law passed earlier this year, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

People exempt from the biometric requirements include serving diplomats and people with diplomatic and service passports, Belarusian nationals, children under the age of 6, and members of military attache offices, trade missions and other state authorities of foreign states.