The Border Service of the FSB of Russia has officially confirmed the right of employees to inspect the personal electronic devices of citizens when crossing the state border. Mobile phones, tablets, laptops and other gadgets are subject to inspection. As the representative office of the Ministry of Labor of Tajikistan in Russia reported on its website, the department received the corresponding official confirmation from the Border Service of the FSB. The rules apply to both Russian citizens and foreigners when entering and leaving the country.
The corresponding amendments to the federal law "On the State Border of the Russian Federation" were adopted back in 2024–2025. They granted border guards the right to visually inspect the contents of gadgets to counter extremism and smuggling. The inspection is carried out if there are grounds to believe that the state border regime has been violated or an attempt has been made to illegally move prohibited items.
Refusal to unlock the device and provide it for inspection is qualified as disobedience to a lawful demand of an official. According to Article 18.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, such a violation entails a fine of 5 to 7 thousand rubles or administrative arrest for up to 15 days. The detainee may be transferred to court for further proceedings.
In fact, digital content of personal devices is controlled at the border without judicial sanction, but within the framework of powers to ensure the security of the state border. Citizens crossing the perimeter should take into account the legal consequences of refusing to cooperate with border guards and be prepared to check the data on their gadgets.
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