Russians with access to state secrets must notify the Federal Security Service (FSB) of any planned trips abroad at least a month before leaving the country, according to a decree issued by Vladimir Putin on Monday.
The order mandates all Russians with access to state secrets and those “aware of information of special importance or top secret information” to notify both the FSB and Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) at least 30 days before they leave Russia.
Those who have access to classified information in Russia include State Duma deputies, senators, members of regional parliaments and the heads of municipalities. Judges and lawyers with access to state secrets are also required to give the authorities a month’s notice of any planned trip abroad.
In 2023, Putin signed new legislation on state secrets into law that introduced new procedures for leaving and entering Russia. The law also banned Russians owning property abroad or maintaining foreign bank accounts from accessing state secrets.
At the same time, Russians whose travel rights were restricted due to their access to classified information were allowed to leave the country for humanitarian reasons, such as the death of a close relative or for emergency medical treatment.
Putin also signed a law last year that required those doing their compulsory military service or its civil service equivalent to hand over their passports for the duration of their posting.
