Major Russian metropolises are experiencing a critical overload of Ministry of Internal Affairs migration offices. Residents of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and other cities with over a million inhabitants are reporting a total inability to book appointments for passport applications via the “Gosuslugi” portal.
Scale of the problem according to monitoring data:
- Moscow: Out of more than 100 departments, not a single one has a “free” status. All display warnings of “high occupancy” and a lack of available slots.
- Regions: Similar stagnation is observed in Kazan, Krasnodar, and Novosibirsk. Queues stretch for months; some applicants have been unable to get an appointment since December 2025.
- Reason for the surge: A sharp increase in demand for travel documents has coincided with a new wave of desire to emigrate.
Analysis and Conclusion: The current migration impulse has a specific nature. Beyond political factors, the catalyst is a severe deficit of the accustomed technological environment and a practically “disconnected internet” (service blocks, degradation of IT infrastructure). For a modern skilled professional, the inability to work within the global network is a more significant incentive to leave than direct political slogans. The state is likely using this “technical traffic jam” as a soft containment tool for the brain drain: artificially slowing down passport issuance becomes a barrier for those trying to save their lifestyle and professional connections under Russia’s digital isolation.