Starting September 1, 2025, migrants from Uzbekistan and eight other countries will be required to install the “Amina” mobile application to register their location in Moscow and the region. The app transmits geolocation to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) and effectively equates newcomers to people wearing an electronic bracelet.
Citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Ukraine who come to Moscow and the Moscow region for work must install the “Amina” app, according to the Multifunctional Migration Center (MMC Sakharovo).
About the “Amina” app
The system of registering the location of foreign citizens in the capital region will be introduced from September 1, 2025. It is intended to replace the current migration registration procedure.
The MMC claims that “Amina” will simplify registration, making compliance with migration laws “more convenient for law-abiding foreigners.”
How the app works
The app allows migrants to register at the MMC address and remotely notify the internal affairs authorities about their place of residence (the location regularly used for sleeping and rest) and any change of address.
Foreign citizens install “Amina” on their own, without visiting the MMC or the organs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
To log in, a valid foreign citizen card issued at the MMC is required. If the card is lost, login is possible with passport data.
Where the data goes
The mobile app transmits geolocation to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If no data is received for several days, the migrant will receive a notification requiring them to confirm their address or report a change. Visiting the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the MMC is not required for this.
What happens if “Amina” is not used
If no geolocation data is transmitted for more than three working days, the foreign citizen is removed from the MMC registration. Violation of monitoring conditions may lead to inclusion in the Register of Controlled Persons.
When registering for migration in another region or leaving Russia, the foreign citizen is also removed from the MMC registration. A notification about this will appear in the “Amina” app.
“Amina” = electronic bracelet
Tracking through geolocation is one of the key functions of electronic bracelets worn by convicts.
How bracelets track
- The GPS module records coordinates in real time.
- Data is transmitted via SIM card to the monitoring system.
- Information goes to the Ministry of Internal Affairs or other authorities to control conditions of arrest or restriction of freedom.
- The bracelet is worn on the ankle or wrist, requires regular charging, and some models have sensors for removal or damage.
Where bracelets are used
In Uzbekistan, starting in 2025, an electronic bracelet system is being introduced for persons under house arrest or serving a sentence of restricted freedom. Violations are recorded and may lead to court consequences.
Thus, the “Amina” app in practice performs the same function as an electronic bracelet. In Moscow and the region, migrants from Uzbekistan and other countries are obliged to install this application. If geodata is not transmitted for more than three working days, the person is removed from registration, which leads to sanctions.
“Amina” is becoming a tool of strict control over migrants in Russia. The app effectively equates Uzbeks and other newcomers with people under electronic bracelets: the state gains full access to their geolocation and can remove them from registration at any time, opening the way to deportation and repressions.