“Now I have hope”

When Viktor* and his family came to Kazakhstan in the early nineties, they were just a few of the thousands of people on the move across the region after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. They settled in the newly independent State with their USSR passports as proof of identity. 

At just six years old, Viktor was enrolled in primary school in Kazakhstan using his USSR documents, and then he went to secondary school too, and looked ahead to a bright future.  

But in just one day, his future suddenly darkened when a devastating fire consumed his family’s home, reducing their belongings – including their identity documents – to ashes. While still a teenager at the time, Victor knew straight away that this was going to be a problem. 

Upon graduation from high school, and yet unsuccessful in restoring his identity documentation, it all became a haunting obstacle. He couldn’t secure formal employment, access healthcare, or even move freely within the country. Without proof of identity or nationality, Victor had no official existence. “You can’t find formal employment,” he said. “Or travel somewhere.” 

“You can’t find formal employment. Or travel somewhere.” 

Victor had become one of the hundreds of thousands of people across Central Asia without identity documents and at risk of statelessness. In 2014, nearly 20 years later, there were still over 255,000 people known to be stateless or at risk of statelessness in Central Asia.  

With no proof of having a nationality or any legal status, they often have difficulty accessing basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment, and freedom of movement. Statelessness strips individuals of basic rights, leaving them in legal limbo, unable to fully participate in society. 

A Decade of Struggles and Small Victories 

For years, Victor tried to navigate a world that felt designed to shut him out. Without identity documents, every step forward felt like an uphill climb. It wasn’t until he connected with the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (BHR) – a partner of the UNHCR – that he saw a glimmer of hope. 

As he was born in a town that is now part of the Russian Federation, the first step was to verify whether he was their citizen, or not. BHR lawyers assisted Victor in submitting his case to the embassy, which ultimately certified he was not considered as a Russian citizen. Armed with this confirmation, he applied to be recognized and documented as a stateless person in Kazakhstan. 

In Kazakhstan, the Government issues “Stateless Person” certificates with which individuals gain limited rights, including the ability to work, access public services, and eventually apply for naturalization.  

But even with his new status, Victor faced challenges. “They [authorities] see unusual papers and they start to ask questions,” he explained. “Then I have to start explaining that I have an Individual Identification Number, I pay taxes.” Each encounter left him feeling scrutinized and on edge. 

Despite the difficulties, legislative improvements in Kazakhstan offered a foundation for hope. The country had introduced universal birth registration and Statelessness Determination Procedures, bringing its practices closer to international standards. These changes meant that when Victor’s daughter was born, her mother’s citizenship ensured she was immediately recognized as a citizen of Kazakhstan. 

A New Beginning: Hope for the Future 

In 2024, after years of perseverance, Victor’s journey reached a joyful conclusion: he was officially granted citizenship of Kazakhstan. “Now I have hope,” he said. “It was very difficult, a very long time for us to obtain documents. With [identity] papers… I can go anywhere, I can do anything.” 

“Now I have hope. It was very difficult, a very long time for us to obtain documents. With [identity] papers… I can go anywhere, I can do anything.” 

Victor’s story is emblematic of broader progress in Kazakhstan. At the 2023 Global Refugee Forum, the Government of Kazakhstan made five pledges, including to reduce the number of stateless persons through naturalization. In July 2024, the government launched a nationwide campaign to identify and assist stateless individuals across the country.  

As of July 2024, there are 8,019 stateless people in Kazakhstan. The Migration Service Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with UNHCR and partners like BHR and Sana Sezim, is helping thousands of people confirm their citizenship and regain their rights. 

In November 2024, Kazakhstan joined the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in adopting the Ashgabat Declaration on Ending Statelessness in Central Asia. Kazakhstan is ready to join many other UN Member States in acceding to the two UN Statelessness Conventions. The universal implementation of these two Conventions would end statelessness globally within a single generation.  

For Victor and others like him, the future looks brighter – a testament to the power of determination, legal advocacy, and international cooperation. 

* Name changed for the privacy of the individual