The resolution adopted by the Russian government clarifies the registration procedure for tourists and other citizens in various places, including hotels, sanatoriums, tourist centers and others. According to the innovations, the possibility of identification or authentication through the GIS “Unified system for identification and authentication of individuals using biometric data” has been introduced in accordance with the Rules for the provision of hotel services in the Russian Federation, approved in 2020.

However, at the moment this mechanism is not yet operational, and it is expected that it will be introduced in the second half of this year. The corresponding service is currently being prepared, which will be launched first in pilot mode. In addition, it is necessary to provide accommodation facilities with appropriate equipment, which may not be available for all hotels, especially for small and micro hotels that do not have appropriate information systems.

According to Georgy Mokhovfounder of the legal agency “Persona Grata” and vice-president of the PCT, “The opportunity to check in a tourist using biometrics will appear as soon as hotels install the necessary equipment that allows them to use this technology. However, this is not available to all hotels; we have many small and micro-hotels that have There are no information systems at all.”

Alexandra Yushutina, executive director of the Tatarstan Hotel Association, emphasizes that while using biometrics for check-in may be a good idea, it is important that it is safe and convenient for hotels. The mechanism for this is not yet entirely clear.

Despite this, installing the necessary equipment should not be an overwhelming task for hoteliers, says Vadim Prasov, vice-president of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers of Russia. He argues that “these costs are completely out of proportion to how disruptive this story is in terms of features and guest service.”

It is important to note that the decree signed by Mikhail Mishustin does not mention expanding the list of documents that can be used when moving in. Some participants in the tourism market expressed the opinion that it was necessary to include documents such as a military ID, driver’s license and foreign passport in this list. According to Georgy Mokhov, identification by biometrics can solve this issue.

Let us recall that previously there were problems with checking into hotels, and at the end of January, State Duma Deputy Speaker Sholban Kara-ool contacted the Ministry of Defense with a proposal to allow Russian military personnel and SVO participants to check into hotels and purchase transport tickets without presenting a passport, only with a military ID .