New law in Russia requires surrender of passports
The Kremlin has implemented new rules requiring individuals under travel ban, including military personnel, to relinquish their passports to officials. This must be done within five days of receiving such instruction.
4:33 AM EST, December 11, 2023
As reported by the newspaper "Kommersant", the State Duma adopted the law, the Federation Council approved it, and President Vladimir Putin signed it. This legislation comes into effect on December 11th.
Details of the new Russian law
The new law specifies that a foreign passport will become invalid due to its loss, expiration, personal data changes by the owner, or the owner's demise.
"This applies to individuals with access to critically important information, those in military service, FSB employees, suspects and defendants in criminal cases, convicted individuals, and several other categories. An official or diplomatic passport could be invalidated if not returned after an official trip without a justifiable reason," reveals the Russian newspaper.
It's vital to note that, law enforcement agencies will have the authority to seize the documents at the border.
