In short, the process is: get notarized translation of your (non-Russian) passport; get SNILS (social security number) at the Pension fund office (or at MFC=Multi-functional Center=МФЦ, Мои документы). At this point you also have to have an (easily accessible) email address that would be used for registration purposes, this should NOT be a Gmail account; get Gosuslugi.ru account; submit you biometric data at MFC or select bank office (Sber offices typically offer the service); check the IMEI number of the phone that would be used with the Russian sim-card; visit mobile operator’s office to renew/conclude the contract. All the steps above have to be done sequentially, completion of a preceding step is required to proceed to the one that follows.

@KO11 Definitely not 2 weeks, but maybe 25 hours effort :wink: The process is: Make a notarized translation of your passport (needed also for a bank account) Get your SNILS in an MFC. Better check which MFC can do it and make an appointment. Email addresses and phone numbers for each region can be found in yandex. Connect your Gosuslugi account with your SNILS in the MFC (I managed to do both in the same appointment) Go to Sbers bank for the biometrics, which will also be connected to your Gosuslugi account. Wait one day, then you can buy the SIM card. Connect your SIM card with your Gosuslugi account (I haven’t done it yet, but I guess a visit to an MFC is necessary. It’s not needed for using the SIM). I had no issues using a gmail account. Also no issues with the IMEI. Without roaming things might be more difficult, since you need a data connection for almost each step.

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How to get a Russian phone number as a foreigner (new SIM law)

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NorseVictory November 9, 2025, 11:44pm 21

@Jerz supposedly. I have no real evidence either way but the contact i did to tmobile a month or so ago