OFFICIAL DATA The research also collected official information from State bodies working with stateless persons, including in the districts of its second cluster. Written requests to provide information on the number of stateless persons officially registered in each district were sent to the provincial departments for passport and visa control (DPVC). Replies, however, only contained data about individuals who had submitted applications to Conflict Commissions. In Osh province, as of 25 December 2008 the Conflict Commission had held 21 sessions and considered and approved 515 applications for recognition of Kyrgyz citizenship. During the same period, 151 and 563 cases were submitted and approved in Jalalabat and Batken provinces respectively. During meetings DPVCs confirmed that there were no legal obstacles to exchanging 1974 USSR passports. According to them, the only factor which delays the prompt provision of Kyrgyz passports to such individuals was a lack of human resources for collecting and processing documents. The problem appears aggravated by insufficient awareness among stateless persons about the procedures to legalize their stay and to acquire citizenship, and by their difficulties in fulfilling requirements (collecting documents, financial difficulties, visits to authorities in district/province capitals, etc). According to the Jalalabat DPVC, in 2008 only three stateless persons applied for residence permits: two obtained them through the Ministry of Internal Affairs Department while the third application is currently being considered by the Commission. In view of the actual number of stateless persons, this number seems very low. During interviews DPVC staff stressed the fact that obtaining residence permits is much easier in Uzbekistan, which allows its authorities to control stateless persons. The currently less favourable administrative situation in the Kyrgyz Republic, however, compels stateless persons to reside illegally and thus prevents the authorities from understanding or managing the problem. The national DPVC shared the following information, valid as of 1 January 2008, with the Representation of the UNHCR in the Kyrgyz Republic: 1. 278 stateless persons hold residence permits in the province of Osh, nine in the province of Jalalabat, and ten in the province of Batken. 2. 5,334 persons in Osh, 4,385 in Jalalabat, and 2,549 in Batken possess only old USSR passports. 3. 3,971 persons in Osh, 2,739 in Jalalabat, and 572 in Batken were issued with birth certificates, but did not obtain passports in due time. Unlike the survey, this data covers all districts and settlements in these three provinces, resulting in a difference between official and survey data. The Situation of Stateless Persons in the Kyrgyz Republic: Findings of Surveys Commissioned by the UNHCR 27