Renunciation of Citizenship of Uzbekistan (Voluntary)

Publication date: 02.07.2026

Citizenship is a stable political and legal bond between an individual and the state, expressed through mutual rights, obligations, and responsibility. The Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan” dated March 13, 2020 No. ZRU-610 directly defines citizenship as a permanent political and legal bond between an individual and the state, based on the recognition and respect of human dignity, fundamental rights, and freedoms.

The institution of renunciation of citizenship has a dual nature. On the one hand, it expresses the autonomy of the citizen’s will, since it is initiated by a personal petition. On the other hand, renunciation of citizenship is not a unilateral civil-law waiver of status: termination of citizenship requires a public-authority decision adopted in accordance with the procedure established by law. The Law classifies renunciation of citizenship as one of the grounds for termination of citizenship, alongside loss of citizenship.

Renunciation of citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan is a voluntary form of termination of citizenship. Unlike loss of citizenship, which may occur upon the existence of circumstances established by law, renunciation presupposes the active expression of will by the citizen himself or herself. Pursuant to Article 24 of the Law “On Citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan,” renunciation is carried out on the basis of a petition submitted by a citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

It follows that renunciation of citizenship cannot be regarded as an automatic consequence of acquiring foreign citizenship or residing abroad. Until the relevant decision is adopted, the citizen retains his or her legal bond with Uzbekistan and, accordingly, the rights, obligations, and restrictions arising from national legislation.

At the same time, it is important to distinguish between renunciation of citizenship and loss of citizenship. Renunciation is a procedure initiated by the citizen himself or herself. Loss of citizenship is termination of citizenship upon the existence of legal facts, for example, voluntary acquisition of foreign citizenship, entry into service in the bodies of a foreign state, failure to register for permanent consular registration without valid reasons for seven years, and other grounds provided by law. Decree No. UP-6185 dated March 10, 2021 lists such grounds for loss separately from the renunciation procedure.

Persons Entitled to Submit a Petition

Under the Regulation approved by Presidential Decree No. UP-6185, a citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan who has reached the age of eighteen and has legal capacity may renounce citizenship of his or her own free will. This means that an independent application is possible only for an adult person with legal capacity.

The petition is submitted personally by the applicant to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. A person residing in the territory of Uzbekistan applies to the internal affairs body at the place of permanent residence or temporary stay. A person residing abroad submits the petition to a consular institution of the Republic of Uzbekistan. If there are valid reasons, for example illness or the absence of a consular institution, a notarized petition may be submitted through an authorized representative.

Thus, the legislative model combines the personal nature of the expression of will with the possibility of procedural representation in exceptional circumstances. This is important because renunciation of citizenship affects a person’s fundamental public-law status and should not be formalized without reliable confirmation of the person’s genuine will.

Documents Attached to the Petition

The following documents are attached to the petition for renunciation of citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan: an application form, passport or identification card, marriage certificate or divorce certificate, as well as the child’s birth certificate and, if available, the child’s passport or identification card if the child is included in the petition.

Statements from relatives confirming the absence of property claims have particular significance. If the applicant has a spouse, parents, or dependents who are citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan and permanently reside in the Republic of Uzbekistan, the applicant must submit notarized statements from such persons confirming that they have no property claims against the applicant.

The Regulation on Citizenship Matters also confirms that materials on renunciation of citizenship are maintained in two copies: one is kept by the internal affairs body or consular institution that accepted the documents, and the second is forwarded to the Commission on Citizenship Matters under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

From a practical standpoint, the block of documents concerning the absence of property claims often becomes a sensitive element of the procedure. It is aimed at protecting the interests of family members and dependents, but at the same time it may create a risk of formal delay in the procedure if a relative avoids issuing such statement or if there is a property dispute between the parties.

Administrative Review Procedure

The internal affairs body or consular institution that accepted the petition checks the correctness of the submitted documents within three business days. If deficiencies are identified, the authorized body may require additional documents or request the necessary information from other state bodies. The petition is deemed accepted for consideration from the moment all required documents are submitted.

After registration of the documents, the internal affairs body or consular institution enters an application into the Interdepartmental Citizenship Database within three business days. The period for reviewing the application, conducting verification, and preparing a conclusion is one month; if additional documents or information are required, it may be extended for up to one additional month.

If the materials are accepted by a consular institution, they are forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in accordance with the diplomatic mail schedule. The period for preparation of materials by the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for submission to the Commission on Citizenship Matters under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan must not exceed one month.

The total period for reviewing materials on citizenship matters must not exceed one year from the date the application is entered into the Interdepartmental Database.

Role of the Commission on Citizenship Matters and the President

The procedure for renunciation of citizenship has a presidential character. The petition is submitted to the President, while the Commission on Citizenship Matters under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan acts as a special advisory and preparatory body. The Law provides for the establishment of the Commission for the purpose of implementing the constitutional powers of the President in citizenship matters.

The Commission has the right to request additional documents and materials on citizenship matters from the relevant state bodies. Its meetings are held as necessary, but not less than twice a month, and a meeting is considered valid if at least two-thirds of the total number of Commission members are present.

The verification checklist, conclusion, and consolidated information note are submitted for consideration by the Commission. The information note reflects, in particular, information about the applicant’s identity, criminal record or criminal prosecution, the existence of unfulfilled obligations to the state or property obligations connected with the interests of citizens or state bodies and organizations, as well as information on whether or not the person is wanted.

Accordingly, the Commission performs not only the formal function of transmitting materials to the President, but also a filtering function: it assesses the completeness, legality, and validity of the materials, as well as the existence of public-law obstacles to the termination of citizenship.

Grounds for Termination of Consideration of Materials

The Law establishes grounds upon which consideration of citizenship materials is terminated. These include:

the existence of unfulfilled obligations to the state or property obligations affecting the interests of citizens or state bodies and organizations;
the person being wanted;
prosecution of the person as an accused, conviction, and serving of a sentence;
the existence of a court judgment that has entered into legal force and is subject to execution;
submission of knowingly false information or forged documents;
contradiction with the interests of state security of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
death of the person.

The internal affairs body or consular institution notifies the applicant or his or her legal representative in writing of the termination of consideration of the materials, indicating the reasons. If the circumstances related to obligations, being wanted, criminal prosecution, or a judgment subject to execution have been eliminated, the person has the right to apply again to the internal affairs body or consular institution.

These norms demonstrate that the state considers renunciation of citizenship not only as an individual right, but also as a procedure connected with ensuring public order, the rights of creditors, the interests of family members, criminal proceedings, and state security.

Renunciation of Citizenship by a Child

A special place is occupied by changes in the citizenship of a child. The Law establishes that a change in the citizenship of a child aged between fourteen and eighteen, in connection with a change in the citizenship of the parents or adoption, is possible only with the written consent of the child himself or herself.

If one parent renounces citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan while the other parent remains a citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the child retains citizenship of Uzbekistan. Upon the petition of the parent renouncing citizenship, the child may be permitted to renounce citizenship if there is written consent of the other parent who has retained citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

This approach reflects the principle of priority of the child’s interests and the inadmissibility of automatic change of the child’s citizenship following one of the parents. In other words, the will of the parents is taken into account, but it does not replace the child’s independent guarantees, especially if the child has reached an age that allows him or her to express his or her own attitude toward the change of citizenship.

Legal Consequences of Renunciation of Citizenship

A person in respect of whom a decision has been made to permit renunciation of citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan is notified by the internal affairs body or consular institution within fifteen days from the date the President’s decision on citizenship matters enters into force.

A person who has been permitted to renounce citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan, including a child, is issued a certificate of termination of citizenship. If the person permanently resides in Uzbekistan and his or her citizenship has been terminated, the internal affairs body issues him or her a residence permit in the Republic of Uzbekistan. If the person is not registered at a place of permanent residence in Uzbekistan, he or she may be issued a travel document of a stateless person when leaving the Republic of Uzbekistan.

These consequences show that termination of citizenship should not leave a person in an uncertain administrative and legal position. The state is obliged to formalize the person’s new documentary status; however, the specific document depends on the place of residence, the existence of registration, and affiliation with the citizenship of a foreign state.

Procedure for Renunciation of Citizenship of Uzbekistan

No.	Stage	Action of the applicant / authority	Where submitted / who reviews	Term	Result / note
1	Determine eligibility for renunciation	Confirm that the applicant is a citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan, has reached 18 years of age, and has legal capacity	Applicant himself or herself	Before submission	An adult legally capable citizen has the right to renounce citizenship of his or her own free will.
2	Determine the submitting authority	If the applicant resides in Uzbekistan, documents are submitted to the internal affairs body; if abroad, to a consular institution of the Republic of Uzbekistan	Internal affairs body at the place of permanent residence/temporary stay or consular institution	Before submission	The place of submission depends on the applicant’s actual residence.
3	Prepare the main petition	Complete the petition for renunciation of citizenship according to the standard form	Addressed to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan	Before submission	The petition is the main document that initiates the procedure.
4	Prepare the application form	Complete the application form according to the standard form	Attached to the petition	Before submission	The application form is submitted together with the petition.
5	Prepare personal documents	Attach passport or ID card, marriage certificate/divorce certificate if available	Internal affairs body or consulate	Before submission	Passport/ID card and marital status documents are part of the mandatory package.
6	Prepare documents concerning the child, if the child is included in the petition	Attach the child’s birth certificate, the child’s passport/ID card if available; if the other parent retains citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan, obtain his or her notarized consent	Internal affairs body or consulate	Before submission	If the child is aged 14–18, his or her written consent to renunciation of citizenship is additionally required.
7	Prepare relatives’ consents confirming absence of property claims	If the spouse, parents, or dependents who are citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan permanently reside in Uzbekistan, obtain their notarized statements confirming the absence of property claims	Notarized statements are attached to the package	Before submission	Instead of such consents, documents such as a death certificate, court decision on deprivation of parental rights/incapacity/missing person status, or documents confirming single-parent status may be required.
8	Pay the state duty or consular fee	Attach proof of payment	Internal affairs body or consulate	Before submission	A state duty or consular fee is charged for consideration of the petition.
9	Submit the package of documents	Submit the petition, application form, and attachments	In Uzbekistan — internal affairs body; abroad — consulate	Date of submission	Accepted petitions are registered in the “E-Fuqaro” database; upon the applicant’s request, a certificate of acceptance and registration is issued within 3 business days.
10	Preliminary review of the package	The responsible officer checks the completeness and correctness of the documents and signs the application form	Internal affairs body or consulate	3 business days	The documents are filed into the material, an inventory is prepared, and the cover of the material is formalized.
11A	If documents are submitted in Uzbekistan	The data from the application form are entered into the “E-Fuqaro” database, and the material is sent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Karakalpakstan, the Main Department of Internal Affairs of Tashkent city/Tashkent region, or the regional department of internal affairs	Territorial internal affairs bodies	3 business days	Internal departmental verification of the materials begins.
11B	If documents are submitted abroad	The data from the application form are entered into the Consular Information System, and one copy of the material is sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs	Consulate → Ministry of Foreign Affairs	3 business days + according to diplomatic mail schedule	The consular route goes through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not through territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
12	Formation of verification request	The authorized officer prepares a request to verify the person and sends it to the interested ministries and agencies	Ministry of Internal Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs	10 business days	The existence of circumstances preventing renunciation of citizenship is checked.
13	Interdepartmental verification	Interested bodies verify the materials and express their position through the “E-Fuqaro” database	Interested ministries and agencies	1 month	In particular, obligations to the state, property obligations, criminal record/criminal prosecution, and wanted status are checked.
14	Preparation of the verification checklist	The Ministry of Internal Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs prints the verification checklist based on the results of interdepartmental verification	Ministry of Internal Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs	After completion of verification	The verification checklist becomes part of the material.
15	Preparation of conclusion	A conclusion is prepared on the basis of the material and the verification checklist	Ministry of Internal Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs	1 month	The conclusion is approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs / Minister of Foreign Affairs or their deputies.
16	Submission to the Commission	The verification checklist, conclusion, and information note are sent to the Commission on Citizenship Matters under the President	Ministry of Internal Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs → Commission	After preparation of the conclusion	The note reflects the applicant’s data, information on criminal record, obligations, property obligations, and wanted status.
17	Review by the Commission	The Commission reviews the material and prepares a proposal for the President	Commission under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan	Within the general term	The material proceeds to the level of presidential decision-making. Basis: the Regulation provides for submission of the second copy of the materials to the Commission.
18	Adoption of decision	The President adopts a decision on the issue of renunciation of citizenship	President of the Republic of Uzbekistan	Within the general term	The decision is formalized by a Presidential decree; information on such decrees is stored in the “E-Fuqaro” database.
19	Execution of the decree	The Ministry of Internal Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs ensures execution of the Presidential decree	Ministry of Internal Affairs / Ministry of Foreign Affairs / internal affairs body / consulate	1 month	After a positive decision, termination of citizenship and the corresponding documentary consequences are formalized.
20	General term	Monitor the review period	All authorized bodies	Not more than 1 month in each body; total period — not more than 1 year	The total period is calculated from the moment the request is entered into the “E-Fuqaro” database or the Consular Information System.