INTRODUCTION Between September 2008 and January 2009, with financial support from UNHCR, the Fergana Valley Lawyers without Borders and the Center for International Protection conducted a survey on statelessness in southern Kyrgyzstan. The key objective of the survey was to identify appropriate ways to legalize and naturalize stateless persons. To achieve this objective, the following goals were set: • to determine the number of stateless persons in the South of the Kyrgyz Republic; • to identify and map locations where most stateless persons reside; • to define the social and legal status of stateless persons; • to assess the needs of stateless persons; • to determine the degree of awareness of stateless persons of the legal frame work to regularize their status in the Kyrgyz Republic; • to analyse applicable national legislation and its implementation; • to develop recommendations to improve legislation and observation of the law by the authorities. The survey should allow State and other interested parties in the Kyrgyz Republic • to have more accurate information on the scope and causes of statelessness; • to develop an effective plan of action to reduce and prevent statelessness; • to predict more precisely the effects of changes in citizenship, migration pro cesses and related policies to avoid negative consequences. The survey’s target population was stateless persons or persons at risk of becoming stateless who possess no official status and reside on the territory of the three provinces that form the South of Kyrgyzstan, as well as employees of State bodies and local governments whose work is affected by statelessness. The survey did not cover stateless persons who have been granted residence permits and have travel documents for stateless persons. However, the number of such de jure stateless persons is very low due to the difficulty in obtaining residence permits. An administrative team and five mobile teams conducted polls and in-depth interviews to identify stateless persons and their legal and social problems. The survey also completed a map of residence areas, and drafted recommendations. Under the same project the Centre for International Protection and the Ferghana Lawyers without Borders also analysed applicable legislation and its implementation. For the purpose of the survey, the territory of the three Southern Kyrgyz provinces was divided into two clusters: 1) Districts with high levels of transborder movement (Aravan, Karasu, Nookat and Uzgen districts of Osh province; Kadamjay, Batken and Leilek districts of Batken province; and Suzak, Nooken, Bazarkorgon, Aksy and Alabuka districts of Jalalabad province) 2) Districts with low levels of transborder movement (Alay, Karakulja, Chongalay districts of Osh province, and Chatkal, Togustoro and Toktogul districts of Jalalabad province). The Situation of Stateless Persons in the Kyrgyz Republic: Findings of Surveys Commissioned by the UNHCR 7