Deputy Chief of Staff of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Almaz Raimbekov, presented a report, noting that these changes are aimed at eliminating unnecessary administrative barriers and more effectively ensuring the rights of minors. According to the new amendments, a passport for children under 16 can be issued upon the application of one of the parents or legal representatives.
Under current legislation, both parents' consent is required to obtain a passport.
“In some cases, there are objective difficulties in obtaining consent from the second parent if they are abroad, not involved in the child's upbringing, or there are disagreements between the parents, or it is impossible to establish the whereabouts of one of them. In such situations, minors may face problems, for example, if participation in international competitions, obtaining medical assistance, or participating in sports events is required,” Raimbekov explained.
Deputy Gulsharkan Kultaeva raised the question of why the changes only apply to 16-year-old citizens residing in Kyrgyzstan and do not affect those living abroad with one of the parents. To this, Raimbekov responded that it is related to security issues.
“Suppose one parent lives in Russia and the other in Kyrgyzstan. It is important to consider security aspects and parental rights. A parent residing abroad can issue a passport for the child, which may subsequently lead to the child not returning to Kyrgyzstan. Our lawyers have also examined this issue. Therefore, at this time, the amendments only apply to those who are on the territory of Kyrgyzstan,” he added.
After the discussion, the deputies expressed their support for the concept of the bill.
