The law on withdrawal of foreign passports from Russians was approved in the third reading

As expected, the State Duma adopted in the third reading the amendments to the law "On the order of exit from and entrance to the Russian Federation". New amendments provide uniform list of bases for recognition of the passports as invalid and their further withdrawal. Under the new rules, passports will be kept until the expiration of the period of restriction of a citizen of the Russian Federation for departure or until the expiration of the document. 

"It is important to note that even exit to CIS countries, where a Russian passport can be used to enter, may be restricted. This means that an internal passport may also be considered invalid," commented Dmitry Gorbunov, a partner in the law firm Rustam Kurmaev and Partners, on the new law. 

"If, for any reason, a draftee has not been restricted to travel abroad after receiving a summons, he will still be unable to leave the territory of the Russian Federation due to invalidity of his passport," says Vadim Yegulemov, managing partner of Key Consulting Group. 
 
The amendments to the law caused much discussion and debate, as they may severely limit the ability of Russian citizens to travel abroad freely. Proponents of the measure consider it necessary to ensure national security, while opponents worry about a possible violation of civil rights and freedoms.