Bishkek, July 13, 2026. /Kabar/. Currently, there are between 35,000 and 45,000 Kyrgyz citizens in Turkiye. These figures were announced during Open Cabinet media project at an online meeting between Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev and the heads of Kyrgyzstan's diplomatic missions abroad.
The representative of the Kyrgyz Embassy in Turkiye reported that over the past six months alone, the total passenger traffic to Antalya (inbound and outbound) amounted to 84,000 people. Of these, 21,758 Kyrgyz citizens hold official temporary residence and work permits. This figure has been growing year after year, but illegal migration remains a key challenge for the ministry, and active efforts are currently underway to curb it.
During Jeenbek Kulubaev's recent working visit to Turkiye, two strategically important issues were raised. The first concerns reducing the cost of temporary residence permits for Kyrgyz citizens on a parity basis, similar to the rates applicable to Turkish citizens in Kyrgyzstan. The second concerns simplifying migration regulations and switching to ID-card-based travel for reciprocal travel.
Following the meetings, the Kyrgyz minister ordered a thorough review of these initiatives with the Turkish side for their swift practical implementation.