Uzbekistan Grants Citizenship to 264 People Ahead of Independence Day

Uzbekistan is set to celebrate its 35th Independence Day with a significant gesture: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree granting citizenship to 264 individuals. This move offers a new beginning for many who have long awaited official recognition within the country.

For some, the wait has been exceptionally long. Khursanoy Jumaboyeva, who was born in Tajikistan, shared her 26-year journey in Uzbekistan, recounting the pain of being unable to visit her homeland, even during her mother's final moments. Robiya Kahhorova's wait stretched even further, spanning four decades before she finally received her citizenship.

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For many years, I could not travel to Tajikistan. When my mother died, I could not be there to see her off on her final journey.

Otabek Rasulov described the hardship of living without citizenship, carrying "Form 4" documents for ten years. The news of his citizenship came as a welcome surprise after a day at work. The decree benefits 90 individuals residing in the Surkhandarya region, among the 264 new citizens.

This recent grant of citizenship marks a notable shift in Uzbekistan's approach. Between 1991 and 2007, 482 stateless individuals were granted citizenship. However, from 2007 to 2016, no citizenships were issued. Since President Mirziyoyev took office in 2016, the landscape has changed dramatically, with approximately 26,000 people granted citizenship and over 60,000 recognized through a new procedure. This contrasts sharply with the previous eight-year period of stagnation.

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For 10 years, we carried around ‘Form 4’… They told us we would be granted citizenship. One evening, I came home from work, and my nephew ran up to me and said, ‘Uncle, there’s news.’