The Deputy Head of the President's Office of the Kyrgyz Republic, Almaz Raimbekov, presented a report in which he noted that according to current regulations, both parents' consent is required to issue a passport. However, in some situations, this creates difficulties, so it is proposed to allow the issuance of a passport to a child at the request of one parent.
“Objective difficulties arise when one parent is abroad, does not participate in the child's life, or there are disagreements between the parents, or it is impossible to establish the whereabouts of the second parent. In such cases, children may face problems, for example, participating in international competitions, receiving medical assistance, or taking part in sports events,” Raimbekov explained.
Deputy Jyldyz Sadyrbaeva asked whether the requirement for obtaining permission from both parents for a child to travel abroad would change. Raimbekov confirmed that it remains unchanged. In this regard, the deputy expressed the opinion that the proposed changes are only a partial solution to the problem, as they do not eliminate it completely.
Thus, although the child will be able to obtain a passport, traveling abroad will still be impossible without the consent of both parents. What is the point of obtaining a passport if the child cannot go to the Olympics or on vacation? What is the essence of this bill?“It is necessary to fully resolve the issue so that a child who has obtained a passport can travel with the permission of only one parent. Otherwise, the passport will be of no use,” she emphasized.
Raimbekov added that a civil passport is necessary for access to medical services and other important services.
“In the country, it is sufficient to have a birth certificate and an ID passport. No other passport is required. I believe the law is insufficient,” noted Sadyrbaeva.
Deputy Yrysbek Atazhanov also agreed on the necessity of amendments but pointed out that the problems mentioned by Sadyrbaeva need to be addressed.
Deputy Cholpon Esenamanova proposed to include a provision in the bill to exclude the requirement of consent from both parents for a child to travel abroad at the second reading stage.
Raimbekov noted that lawyers have already examined this issue, but it is a “double-edged sword,” as questions may arise regarding the safety of children and the rights of the second parent.
Deputy Gulya Kozhokulova suggested inviting representatives from the Ministry of Justice for discussion; however, they were not present at the meeting.
“The Ministry of Justice should have provided clear answers to our questions. On one hand, we are simplifying the process of obtaining a passport for travel, but on the other hand, the requirements for traveling remain the same,” Kozhokulova added.
After lengthy discussions, the committee adopted the bill in the first reading.
