Check In Without a Passport: Russia’s Digital ID Arrives at Hotel Desks

Russian travelers can now skip the paper passport and check into hotels using just their phone. The national platform “Max” allows guests to present a digital ID instead of a physical passport or birth certificate, according to an announcement from Gosuslugi shared with RIA Novosti. The move marks a significant step in the country’s push toward digital hospitality.

To use the service, travelers need to install the Max platform and create a digital ID in their profile. At the hotel reception, guests simply tell the staff they want to check in digitally and show the ID on their screen. A representative noted, “Show the digital ID to the hotel employee. They will guide you through the next steps.” The service is available only at hotels that have opted in, so guests should confirm availability before their trip. Russian citizens can use it for themselves and their minor children.

The system has already passed real-world tests. In early July, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov tried out the digital check-in at a Moscow hotel. Starting September 1, hotels with more than 50 rooms will be required to offer this option. Last April, the Ministry of Digital Development reported that the pilot program was live in about two dozen hotels across Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, and Tatarstan. Officials expect the service to expand to thousands of Russian hotels within the year.