Acquisition of nationality through naturalization Profile of those with undetermined nationality, including stateless persons, in Turkmenistan More than two decades after the break-up of the Soviet Union, a large number of people continue to live in Turkmenistan with irregular residence status and without valid identification documents. The majority moved to Turkmenistan during Soviet times or in the years immediately following the dissolution of the USSR and have links to other former Soviet republics. Most of these people are of undetermined nationality, with the great majority believed to be stateless. While some live in cities, most reside in agricultural areas in the northern and north-eastern regions bordering Uzbekistan. These people have links with multiple countries on the basis of birth, descent, past residence or marriage, making verification of their nationality status a complex task. Turkmenistan does not allow dual nationality and, according to nationality regulations adopted in 1993 and in force since that time, anyone applying for Turkmen citizenship must submit a certificate confirming that they do not possess the nationality of other countries with which they have a link. Individuals with ties to Uzbekistan face particular challenges. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan finalized the demarcation of their border in early 2000 and many residents in Turkmenistan’s north-east border region were left without an established nationality of either State. Uzbekistan’s nationality law requires the country’s nationals who establish permanent residence abroad to register with an Uzbek consulate within five years of their departure. Failure to do so results in withdrawal of Uzbek citizenship. Many individuals of Uzbek origin in Turkmenistan were not aware of this provision and did not take the necessary steps to preserve their Uzbek nationality. 2004-2005 registration campaign to naturalize ethnic Turkmen refugees From October 2004 to February 2005, the Turkmen Government and UNHCR conducted a joint registration exercise (2004-2005 Refugee Registration Campaign) to identify and register all the refugees who had settled in Turkmenistan a decade or so earlier. Most were ethnic Turkmen who fled armed conflict in Tajikistan for Turkmenistan between 1992 and 1997, although some were ethnic Turkmen from Afghanistan who had been granted residence permits in 1994. 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 49