Russian Hotels Ordered to Use State Messenger Max for Guest Check-Ins

July 7, 2026 REUTERS / Ramil Sitdikov Hotels in Russia will soon be required to check in guests who do not have an internal passport with them by using the state-backed messaging app Max, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said Tuesday. Under the new regulation, hotels with more than 50 rooms must purchase hardware and train staff to use Max before the law takes effect on Sept. 1. Reshetnikov said Max’s developer, the tech company VK, is ready to help hotels with the transition. The mandate builds on a framework introduced on April 1, which allowed Russians to check in at hotels using a driver’s license, biometric data or the state services portal Gosuslugi rather than an internal passport. Foreigners, however, must still present physical passports for mandatory migration tracking when checking in at hotels. The hotel requirement marks the latest government push to scale Max, which launched in spring 2025 as a Kremlin-vetted alternative to WhatsApp and Telegram. In an apparent attempt to force Russians onto Max, Russia’s media watchdog has spent months throttling features on WhatsApp and Telegram. Max is already legally required to come pre-installed on all smartphones and computers sold in Russia. Access to the app is strictly limited to Russian citizens with domestic phone numbers and users from countries designated as “friendly” by the Kremlin. Officials eventually plan to turn the platform into a “super-app” that combines private messaging, digital payments and government services. Read more about: Technology , Business , Travel Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia Puts $2.3Bln of Data Center Projects on Hold Amid High Borrowing Costs and Energy Grid Limits The slowdown underscores the growing tension between Russia's ambitions to build domestic AI capabilities and the infrastructure constraints facing the... 3 Min read Feature Arkady Volozh’s Second Act The former head of Yandex has made a remarkable business pivot. How did he pull it off? 10 Min read Moscow Court Arrests Ex-Skolkovo Technopark Head on Bribery Mediation Charges Renat Batyrov faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted. 1 Min read Tech Giant Yandex Reports Rising Revenues Despite Sanctions Russian tech group Yandex announced on Thursday that its revenues continued to climb during the third quarter, despite Russia being under Western...