SOCHI. Oct 16 (Interfax) - The Russian Interior Ministry is considering introducing compulsory fingerprinting for all foreigners who enter the country, Russian First Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Gorovoi said.
This will help systematize the information on criminals available in the country and prevent their entry, he said.
"The issue of introducing a system for fingerprinting identification of citizens of all foreign states, regardless of the purpose of their visit to Russia, is now under consideration," Gorovoi said at the 18th international meetings between the heads of special services, security agencies, and law enforcement agencies in Sochi on Wednesday.
The introduction of compulsory fingerprinting "will help systematize the current database and prevent entry into our country of unwelcome people or those involved in the commission of crimes on the territories of other states," he said.
Seventeen million citizens of foreign states have entered Russia annually in the past three years, Gorovoi said.
Over 30,000 foreigners have been subjected to liability for violations of migration legislation and 2,500 foreigners have been expelled from Russia since the beginning of this year.
"An effective mechanism for reacting to illegal migrant activities includes the use of the institutions of undesirable stay, ban on entry, and deportation. Police officers have issued security agencies over 170,000 recommendations on bans on entry into Russia," Gorovoi said.
In addition, some 50,000 decisions have been made on the reduction of the period of temporary stay, as well as 4,500 decisions on deportation, and some 140 on the undesirability of people's stay on the territory of Russia.