Kyrgyzstan Suspends Russian Citizenship Applications After Surge in Demand

Kyrgyzstan has halted accepting new citizenship applications from Russian nationals following a sharp increase in naturalizations.

In 2024 alone, over 7,000 Russians were granted Kyrgyz citizenship, a 1,650% increase compared to 2021, when only 400 applications were processed.

Soviet-Era Agreement Behind Growing Applications

Many Russians obtained Kyrgyz citizenship through the Quadrilateral Agreement between Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Russia.

This agreement allows individuals born before the 1991 Soviet Union collapse to apply for Kyrgyz citizenship without prior residency. Between 2022 and 2024, more than 2,500 Russians used this pathway.

Processing Delays Lead to Application Freeze

The rise in applications extended processing times from four months in 2022-2023 to nine months by 2024.

As the backlog grew, authorities decided to suspend new applications to reassess the system and manage the increasing volume.

Kyrgyzstan’s decision reflects the challenges of balancing immigration policies while addressing demographic and administrative concerns.