Russia activated a centralised “Digital Profile of Foreign Citizen” on 30 June, a state information resource that consolidates personal, employment, medical, property, and legal data on all migrants and stateless persons in the country. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD), which operates the system, stated that the platform will provide a complete and current picture of the migration situation to improve state administration. Access to the profile will be available to government bodies, organisations, and the foreign nationals themselves through the unified public services portal. The launch follows a presidential instruction from July 2024 and forms part of a broader tightening of migration policy that, according to Russian government statements, accelerated after the March 2024 Crocus City Hall attack.

Viewed from Moscow, the digital profile is a tool for inter-agency coordination. The MVD will receive data from federal executive bodies and state extra-budgetary funds, with rules governing the frequency and deadlines for updates. The profile currently includes identity documents, migration registration, labour activity, education, health insurance, real estate, vehicles, administrative offences, and entry bans. A government decree foresees that from 30 June 2026, the system will also incorporate biometric data and could replace paper work permits. In parallel, Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs enforced a new SIM card registration rule on 1 July, making facial verification mandatory for all new mobile numbers. Minister Meutya Hafid said the biometric requirement aims to reduce anonymity that can facilitate crime, while also enabling operators to offer better services to verified users.

In Washington, the Department of Homeland Security finalised a rule this week that locks in an online registration and biometrics process for certain foreign nationals present in the United States. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) clarified that the rule does not create new obligations but stabilises an interim system operating since April 2025. It applies to individuals who lack standard registration records, such as those who entered without inspection, visa-exempt Canadian citizens without a Form I-94, and children turning 14. Those with valid visas, green cards, or work permits are exempt. The agency is also seeking public comments until 28 August 2026 on potential further regulatory changes. Separately, the US government has set a 1 October 2026 deadline for new rules that will restrict federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for some categories of legally present immigrants, limiting eligibility to groups such as lawful permanent residents and certain protected populations.

These national initiatives reflect distinct administrative logics. In Russia, the digital profile is presented as a response to security imperatives and the need for accurate migration data, with the MVD acting as operator. In Indonesia, the biometric SIM registration is framed as a consumer protection and crime-prevention measure. In the United States, the registration rule formalises existing practices while the Medicaid change narrows the scope of federally funded health coverage for immigrants. The Russian system is set to expand with biometric data in mid-2026; the US registration rule is now final, with comments invited on further amendments; and Indonesia’s facial verification requirement is already in effect.