In Russia, the capabilities of the digital “Property Purchase” service on the Gosuslugi portal have been expanded. Sellers and buyers of real estate can now confirm their identity using biometrics — via a facial image.
The new option is part of the “Life Situations” services and was implemented in response to user requests. Biometric identification is designed to provide additional protection for participants in remote transactions and to improve the reliability of identity verification when arranging a home purchase. This is especially important for real estate transactions, where the most accurate confirmation of the identity of all participants is required. The service also helps reduce the number of in-person meetings and visits to government offices.
Over the past years, many government services in Russia have moved into digital format, but real estate transactions have traditionally remained one of the most sensitive areas because of the high risk of fraud. That is why strengthening identity verification mechanisms is a logical next step in the development of digital services.
