Russia Makes Amina App Mandatory for Foreign Workers from 9 Countries in Moscow

Starting September 1, 2025, Russia has introduced a new digital requirement for some foreign workers living in Moscow and the surrounding region. According to the update, foreign workers from the following nations must now register their place of stay using a mobile app called Amina.

• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Georgia
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Moldova
• Tajikistan
• Ukraine
• Uzbekistan

How the Amina app works

Authorities describe the Amina application as an experimental system. The app tracks continuous geolocation data to confirm that a foreign worker stays at their registered address.

If the app stops getting location data, the system will automatically cancel the individual’s address registration. In that situation, the worker will need to re-register a new address through the app.

Who Needs to Register

This rule applies only to nationals from the listed countries who work in Moscow or the Moscow region. Family members of these workers are currently exempt. However, workers must repeat the registration process each time they enter Moscow or return after travelling elsewhere.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

The registration is mandatory. Not completing it can result in fines or, in some cases, deportation too. Russian authorities have stated that they will closely monitor ongoing compliance through the app.

What this Means for Foreign Workers

Moscow heavily depends on workers from Central Asia and the Caucasus, but this new rule adds more red tape. Address registration is normal in Russia, but connecting it to constant GPS tracking is new. Migrants need to keep their phones charged and location services on to avoid losing their registration.

For anyone planning to travel to or live in Moscow under these rules, it’s important to prepare ahead.

• Download and set up the Amina app before arrival.
• Ensure you have a phone that supports continuous GPS tracking.
• Be mindful that disabling geolocation, even accidentally, could trigger problems.

Final Thoughts

Russia is increasingly digitising migration controls. Although Amina is called a test project, it signals a shift toward wider digital surveillance. For now, workers from the listed countries entering Moscow cannot ignore this new requirement.