MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/. Gosuslugi, Russia’s state-run web-portal providing various state services, is accepting applications for Fan-IDs in a standard mode, the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media announced in a statement on Monday.
"As of now, the service is operating in a standard mode and all applications are being handled… processing time may take up to 72 hours before an approval is granted," the statement from the ministry reads.
Gosuslugi is the final instance to approve the issuance of a Fan-ID for everyone wishing to attend football matches in Russia. The document will be required for the purchase of either a one-match ticket or a multiple-entry ticket for the season.
According to the ministry’s statement, some of the applicants encountered difficulties uploading their personal pictures.
"It can be a result of an improper quality of pictures or of their incompliance with stated requirements," the statement from the ministry reads. "In this case, the department rejects applications."
Oleg Pak, the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media’s first deputy minister, stated that IT-specialists were currently in work verifying the quality of uploaded pictures with required standards.
"All applicants, who failed to upload their pictures on the first instance, will be provided with explanations about further steps either in their private accounts or e-mails," Pak stated.
Fan-ID registration with Gosuslugi web-portal is obligatory for everyone wishing to buy a ticket to attend any football match of the Russian Premier League (RPL). It has been also stated previously that Fan-IDs must be issued to everyone wishing to be present at stadiums during matches, including football fans, organizers, participants of the tournaments and media representatives.
On December 30, 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a draft on the introduction of Fan-ID documents, which will be required for fans to attend sports tournaments in the country starting from June 1, 2022.
The bill was passed earlier in all readings by the State Duma - the lower house of the Russian parliament - with an amendment correcting the date of the new regulation’s introduction, which now stands at June 1, 2022. Russia’s Federation Council - the upper house of the country’s parliament - approved the bill on December 24, 2021.
Russia’s Fan-ID was successfully tested during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, as well as during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and earned high marks from the world’s governing football body - FIFA. The Fan-ID system was also in place during matches of the 2020 UEFA Euro Cup in St. Petersburg last summer.
A Fan-ID holder was allowed to enter the country without having a Russian visa and stay for the duration of global football tournaments. Fan-IDs were obligatory, in addition to purchased tickets, in order to attend football matches.