The procedure to determine and register Kyrgyz citizenship for citizens of the former USSR permanently residing on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic* Citizens of the former USSR residing permanently on the Kyrgyz territory who wish to determine their citizenship in the Kyrgyz Republic should apply to Kyrgyz law-enforcement agencies for a decision by the passport division. In practice, the decision is usually made by a Conflict Commission on Citizenship Issues. Conflict Commissions on Citizenship Issues have been established in the DPVC of the Kyrgyz Republic, the DPVC of the Bishkek Municipal Department of Internal Affairs, and in the Departments of Internal Affairs of provinces and of Osh city. Conflict Commissions have the right to re-examine applications of permanent residents of the Kyrgyz Republic for the status as Kyrgyz citizens, namely those of: • • • • former USSR citizens in possession of a 1974 USSR passport, who have been living on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic continuously for five years before applying and who have not applied for citizenship of any other state persons in possession of a 1974 USSR passport, containing a stamp of resi dence of the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic without their own accommodation who have temporarily been registered in the accommodation of their relatives or acquaintances, if they have been permanently residing on Kyrgyz territory for five years before applying and do not have any other citizenship persons with a permanent or temporary resident permit and who in fact have been residing in the Kyrgyz Republic permanently, but have lost their former USSR passports permanent residents of the Kyrgyz Republic who were unable to obtain their Kyrgyz passports in due time, because they did not fall under the law On Citi zenship of the Kyrgyz Republic or did not have parents and were brought up by relatives and friends An applicant wishing to determine his or her citizenship is charged a fee of 100 KGS. The development of citizenship legislation in the Kyrgyz Republic After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the declaration of State sovereignty, the Kyrgyz Republic established its own legislation on citizenship. Key provisions for citizenship of the independent State were established in the 1993 Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic. An initial regulatory framework was provided by the law On Citizenship of the Kyrgyz Republic of 18 December 1993. It recognized as Kyrgyz citizens all citizens of the former USSR who resided permanently in the republic on 15 December 1990, i.e. the day when the declaration On State Sovereignty of the Kyrgyz Republic was adopted, and who had not applied for citizenship of any other state. * The deadlines for exchanging the old USSR passport for a Kyrygz passport has been extended several times: A Government Resolution of 24 December 1997 provided that the exchange of passports shall be completed by 2002. Resolution of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic #557 *On Approving the Regulation, Description and Template of the 2004 Type Passport of the Kyrgyz Republic Citizen of 27 July 2004 prolonged the validity of 1974 passports on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic until 31 December 2005 12 The Situation of Stateless Persons in the Kyrgyz Republic: Findings of Surveys Commissioned by the UNHCR