The Migration Service of Turkmenistan does not release from the country minor children who in 2015-2020 received Russian citizenship in a simplified manner due to the citizenship of their parents. This was reported by Turkmen news on July 6.

Earlier, Radio Azatlyk reported that after the visit of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov to Moscow on June 10, dual nationals began to issue passports.

“The Migration Service of Turkmenistan has begun accepting documents for issuing passports from people who received Russian citizenship from 2003 to 2015. But those of them who have minor children still cannot leave the country. Their children have become “hostages,” the newspaper writes.

Migration officers demand that parents renounce one of the citizenships for their children or suggest that parents wait until the child turns 18 so that he himself chooses which citizenship to renounce.

Dual citizenship between Turkmenistan and Russia existed for 10 years and was abolished in April 2003. After the termination of the treaty, Russia continued to grant its citizenship to the Turkmens. The Turkmen government refused to issue documents to those who received Russian citizenship after 2003, demanding that they choose the citizenship of one country, while not officially commenting on their actions.

Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan