Acquisition of nationality through naturalization
PHASE 2: REGISTRATION PHASE
The registration phase of the 2011 Campaign took place from 6 May to 3 July 2011, with
some individuals continuing to register until August 2011. During this phase, stationary
and mobile teams were deployed to 70 registration points covering all provinces as
well as the capital, Ashgabat. The two districts of Dashoguz and Lebap in the north and
north-east region along the Uzbek border received the most registration teams.
Fifty-five people conducted the registration. Of these, 24 were from the SMST,
while the rest came from Keik Okara, with seven of the latter being lawyers from the
organization’s legal clinics. Each stationary or mobile team included one SMST authority
and one representative of Keik Okara.
Stationary registration teams were placed in the administrative centre of the State
Migration Service of each province to receive, interview and register affected persons
living there and in the surrounding districts. Mobile teams were deployed to rural areas.
One registration team was based in each rural district centre to assist those living in the
vicinity. For those affected persons living farther away, the executive authorities in each
sub-district organized transportation to bring them to the mobile teams operating at the
district level. Individuals with undetermined nationality filled out citizenship application
forms, whereas individuals with documentary proof of nationality of another State filled
out applications for permanent residency.
PHASE 3: POST-REGISTRATION PHASE: REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS AND CONTACT
WITH EMBASSIES TO OBTAIN CONFIRMATION OF NATIONALITY OR NONNATIONALITY
As information from the registration phase was collected and forwarded to the SMST in
Ashgabat, the Turkmen authorities began to make background and security checks of
those who had submitted applications. This started in June 2011 and is continuing.
At the same time, the Turkmen authorities began to review applications, while UNHCR
and Keik Okara helped registered persons obtain confirmation of nationality or nonnationality. UNHCR and Keik Okara organized “reception days” at the embassy of each
CIS country with consular representation in Ashgabat. During these events, lawyers
accompanied individuals to meet embassy officials to consult on their individual cases.
U N H C R > G P P A C T I O N 1 : R E S O LV I N G E X I S T I N G M A J O R S I T U AT I O N S O F S TAT E L E S S N E S S
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