Russia deports 18,000 migrants from Moscow in 2024, majority from CIS countries

The number of migrants deported from Moscow for violating entry and residency rules increased significantly in 2024, reaching a total of 18,000, marking a one-third rise compared to the previous year.

This was confirmed by the press service of the Main Directorate of the Federal Bailiff Service (FSSP) for Moscow, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

As of mid-December 2024, FSSP officials carried out more than 18,000 deportations of foreign nationals, a sharp increase from around 12,000 in 2023. The majority of those deported were citizens of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, with the highest numbers coming from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Additionally, three citizens from European countries – Latvia, France, and Estonia – were also among the deported individuals.

The deportations followed court rulings, with all deported migrants found guilty of violating Russia's entry and residence rules under Article 18.8 of the Russian Administrative Code. As a result, they are now banned from re-entering Russia for the next five years.

In a related development, the FSSP in the Moscow region reported that the number of foreign nationals and stateless persons deported from the region nearly doubled in 2024, with 5,100 individuals expelled, compared to 2,600 in the previous year.

By Vugar Khalilov