Kazakhstan to simplify citizenship application process for ethnic Kazakhs

Astana. April 22. Silkroadnews – citizenship application procedure is significantly simplified for ethnic Kazakhs, as Tamara Duysenova, the Minister of Labour and Social Protection informed.
“Firstly, ethnic Kazakhs are free to choose the region themselves. Inconsiderably of where ethnic Kazakhs are coming from, they will receive an oralman [ethnic Kazakh] status. Secondly, we are lifting the “proof of solvency” requirement. Thirdly, settlement period is reduced to 1 year”, Minister Duysenova said at the Presidential Central Communications Services briefing this Tuesday.
She reminded that ethnic Kazakhs previously arrived in the regions stipulated by the state and then received an oralman status. They were also required to prove their solvency. The settlement period used to take 7 years.
If ethnic Kazakhs are to arrive the regions experiencing deficit of labour force, they are to receive benefits from the state under the new rules.
“Those benefits would primarily include travel fairs, luggage expenses and social housing to rent for 5 years. After 5 years, ethnic Kazakh can privatise the property at its residual value”, the Minister said.
944 000 oralmans (Ethnic Kazakhs) have moved back to their homeland since 1991. They now constitute 5.5% of country’s population.