Russia's Digital Development Ministry is discussing mandatory registration of smartphones brought into the country without customs clearance. Owners of such devices may be given two weeks to enter their unique IMEI identifier into a database through the Gosuslugi government services portal. Under the proposal, unregistered phones would then be disconnected from Russian mobile networks.
The ministry confirmed that the requirements were under discussion within the government. It said they could cover phones bought abroad and brought into Russia by individuals, as well as counterfeit devices. Phones that were already operating on Russian networks before April 2027 are expected to be exempt from additional registration, regardless of how they entered the country.
An IMEI is a unique device identifier transmitted to a mobile operator when a phone connects to its network. Unlike a telephone number or SIM card, it identifies the handset itself. Under the proposed system, officially imported smartphones would be entered into the register automatically.
Industry representatives warn of potential consequences for parallel and grey-market imports. Predictions that the number of sellers could fall by as much as 70% and prices for some models rise by up to 40% are forecasts, not outcomes. State Duma deputy Sergei Boyarsky clarified on October 29 that registration for phones brought in from abroad was intended to be free. No final rules have been adopted.