The speaker at the meeting was Almaz Raimbekov, Deputy Head of the President's Office of Kyrgyzstan. He noted that the proposed changes aim to eliminate unnecessary administrative difficulties and improve the realization of the rights of minor citizens. According to the new rules, one of the parents or a legal representative will be able to submit an application for a passport for children under 16 years old.
Currently, obtaining a passport requires the consent of both parents.
Raimbekov explained: "There are situations where obtaining the consent of the second parent is difficult, for example, if one of them is abroad, does not participate in raising the child, or there are disagreements between the parents. This can create difficulties for the minor, especially if they want to participate in international competitions, receive medical assistance, or take part in sports events."
Deputy Gulsharkan Kultaeva asked why the changes only apply to 16-year-olds living in Kyrgyzstan and do not affect those living abroad. Raimbekov replied that this is related to security issues.
He added: "If one parent is in Russia and the other is in Kyrgyzstan, we need to consider the safety and rights of the parents. A parent abroad can obtain a passport for the child, which may lead to the child not returning to Kyrgyzstan. Our lawyers have carefully studied this issue. Therefore, at this moment, the new rules apply only to those living in Kyrgyzstan."
After the discussion, the deputies supported the concept of the bill.
