FSB Notification - Admission of Electronic Devices

The FSB notification is used for approval and monitoring of equipment by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB), which could be used for the encryption of data. The aim of the FSB notification is to record, to register and to control such devices. The FSB notification is needed for electronic devices that can serve both civilian and military purposes. The FSB notification procedure allows the government to control the import of equipment that could endanger the national security.

The manufacturers and importers are obliged to inform the government that the imported devices contain cryptographic elements.

The FSB notification is an official document issued by the competent authority (in Russia - by the Federal Security Service) which allows the import, export, and circulation of certain equipment in the EAEU. These are the electronic devices that imply encrypted data.

In the decision of the Commission of the EAEU of 21.04.2015 On the measures of the non-tariff regulation, there is a list of the devices subject to approval.

The following devices are affected:

• computers, laptops, tablets
• smartphones
• key equipment
• radios
• radio frequency devices
• wireless devices with WLAN or Bluetooth like keyboards or mouse
• WLAN router
• smart cards
• TV, radio etc. with WLAN or Bluetooth function

Essentially, if a device supports WLAN or Bluetooth, an import license must be obtained from the FSB prior to import into the EAEU area.

The FSB notification can only be filed by a legal entity registered in the EAEU. A foreign producer can authorize the legal person. The power of attorney must be properly displayed according to the model and authenticated with the apostille.

The FSB notification shall include the following:

• description of the goods
• intended use of the goods
• manufacturer
• used cryptographic algorithms
• presence of unsubscribed features
• duration of the notification
• applicant
• information on the power of attorney
• date

The notification must be registered with the competent authority. In Russia, it is Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation - FSB, in Belarus the KGB is responsible for the notification.

All registered notifications are recorded in the database on the website of the Eurasian Economic Commission. The search for registered notifications is publicly available.

Notification procedure

If the products of the importer have not been sold in Russia yet, following procedure is carried out:

1. Step: Application to the Federal Service for Safety of the Russian Federation
2. Step: Examination of the documentation
3. Step: Entry in the respective register of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC)
4. Step: Issuance of the notification

Required documents

An application for FSB notification requires the following documents:

Time duration and costs of FSB notification

The duration and costs associated with an FSB Notification application depend on several different factors, such as the classification of the product, any required laboratory checks and the complexity of all examinations. Therefore the exact conditions of FSB notification are always determined individually based on the required documentation.
Please note that an application for a FSB notification can take anywhere from a few days to weeks to process.