Buy an apartment without leaving home: how biometrics protects your money

Since July 1, 2026, the real estate market in Russia has finally entered the era of "digital trust". Innovations based on Federal Law No. 133-FZ of July 7, 2025, completely change the usual algorithm for buying a home. Now you can confirm your identity and sign the contract literally without getting up from the couch — your face and voice are enough. What exactly has changed? The main innovation is the introduction of biometric identification during remote transactions. Previously, personal presence or complex chains of electronic signatures were required to verify identity, but now the EBS system (Unified Biometric System) takes over this task. It is important to understand that this method is completely voluntary. No one can force you to switch to digital if you prefer a classic trip to the MFC with paper documents. What is biometrics suitable for? The system does not work for all cases. Remote biometrics transactions are available for: real estate purchases on the primary market; registration of mortgage transactions. An important limitation is that if you are dealing with shares, inheritances, or objects that are subject to disputes, biometrics will not help. Here, the law remains conservative and requires traditional verification methods and personal involvement. How it works: step-by-step instructions The process is as automated as possible, but requires preliminary preparation.: Delivery of biometrics: you must enter your data in advance in the EBS. Documents: prepare the entire package of papers. Application: submit an application through the Gosuslugi or Goscluch portal. Identification: Pass the face and voice verification. Signature: sign the documents with an enhanced qualified electronic signature (EP). Final: pay the state fee and wait for the registration of ownership. It is worth remembering: the validity period of such an electronic signature is 12 months, and the biometrics submitted by you is valid for 5 years. Safety: how to protect your property? The most provocative question is: won't this be a gift for scammers? The legislator has provided a "safety catch" mechanism. Each owner has the right to prohibit any transactions without his personal participation. If you do not plan to perform remote operations, it is strongly recommended to install such a "block". There are two ways to do this.: Through Gosuslugi: find the service "Prohibition of actions without personal participation", specify the cadastral number of the object and sign the application through Goscluch. Through the MFC: come in person with a passport and property documents. From July 1, 2026, your face is not just an appearance, it is your key to assets. Own it carefully and do not forget to put a "lock" on your square meters if you do not want to trust their digital algorithms.