Aliens at home: 10 thousand ethnic Kyrgyz cannot get passports

More than 10 thousand ethnic Kyrgyz who have returned to their homeland cannot obtain citizenship. If there is no passport and registration, then there is no medical assistance. Undocumented women have to give birth at home. MIR 24 correspondent Kaliya Duishebaeva found out why people found themselves in such a situation.

Ermekpay Alisherov is an ethnic Kyrgyz. He moved with his family from Tajikistan – for the sake of the future of his children. At home, according to the man, education and medical care are better. But for five years now he has not been able to confirm his status and receive documents. And without them, you can't register your youngest son with a neurologist – the child has semi-paralysis of the right limbs.

“I cannot show my son to the doctors, because I do not have a residence permit and I am not registered in any polyclinic. When we arrive at the hospital, money is demanded from us, as from foreign citizens. I simply don’t have such sums, ”said Ermekpay Alisherov, a resident of the Altyn-Kazyk housing estate.

Ermekpay can receive a passport of a citizen of Kyrgyzstan only if he has registration and residence permit. And for this there must be a permanent place of residence. But the Alisherovs' family rents a room in the house of the owner of the farm where Ermekpay works. The owner is ready to register the Alisherovs. Only the residential area where the house is located is not listed in the city register. 15 years ago, it was withdrawn from the district, it was not annexed anywhere and was not even given a status. So it turns out a vicious circle. But the officials are confident that the state has created all the conditions.

Aliens at home: 10 thousand ethnic Kyrgyz cannot get passports

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FOLLOWING

“Ethnic Kyrgyz who came to Kyrgyzstan and received the“ kairylman ”status have similar rights with the citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic. They have the right to study in schools, they have the right to enter universities on preferential terms, receive medical support, they can receive benefits, ”said Samat Toktobolotov, Deputy Chairman of the State Migration Service under the Government of Kyrgyzstan.

The status “kayrylman” – “returned” – is given for two years. During this time, a person must find an opportunity to obtain a residence permit. If he did not have time, he must cross the border again and update the status. But Ermek did not do this – due to the pandemic, the borders were closed.

According to statistics, the majority of ethnic Kyrgyz receive citizenship. Only one fifth of the migrants face various problems. Manas Karabaev came from Uzbekistan. I received a Kyrgyz passport last year.

“We applied for citizenship, but it was very difficult. We needed certificates from Uzbekistan. We were also looking for a house for a long time, where it would be possible to get registered. All the procedures took three years. Now my whole family has received citizenship, ”said ethnic Kyrgyz Manas Karabaev.

Obtaining citizenship in any country is not an easy process, officials agree. The decision on granting the status of a citizen of Kyrgyzstan is made by several commissions, so all documents are carefully checked and rechecked. The last instance is a special working group under the president.

“Returning Kyrgyz should, first of all, register with the passport office. They must first obtain the status of “kayrylman”. Otherwise, they will not be able to apply for citizenship, ”said Burkutbek Ermakov, coordinator of ethnic Kyrgyz in Bishkek and Chui oblast.

“We are developing a proposal to the President’s office in order to consider them in some kind of accelerated, simplified procedure. Perhaps even the announcement of some kind of amnesty, ”said Samat Toktobolotov, Deputy Chairman of the State Migration Service under the Kyrgyz government.

The issue of the resettlement of ethnic Kyrgyz is being resolved now. Negotiations are underway with the heads of district councils to clarify the status of unused lands in the border areas. Ermekpay Alisherov intends to obtain citizenship, despite the difficulties. He believes: they will help him at home.

Over the years of independence, more than 50 thousand ethnic Kyrgyz have returned to Kyrgyzstan. For 80% of them, the issue of citizenship has been resolved.