Turkish citizens have reported difficulties faced by their wives, citizens of Turkmenistan, who have been banned from leaving the country after renewing their passports.
Women who returned to Turkmenistan to apply for new passports have been denied exit at Ashgabat airport. Authorities cited violations of the “legislation of the country of stay,” referencing paragraph 9 of part 1 of Article 30 of Turkmenistan’s Law On Migration. This law prohibits citizens who have previously violated the laws of the country of stay from leaving Turkmenistan for five years. However, no explanation has been provided for why this regulation applies to the affected women.
Turkish spouses insist their wives did not violate any laws abroad and were legally residing in Turkey.
Arslan Rustem, a Turkish citizen, shared his experience: “I married a Turkmen citizen in July 2022. My wife was legally living in Turkey, but when her passport expired, she returned to Turkmenistan to replace it. After receiving a new document, she was not allowed to leave.” Rustem emphasized that there were no legal issues with their marriage or residency.
Similarly, Mahmut Uchar encountered the same problem. He was advised by the Turkmen Consulate in Istanbul that his wife must travel to Turkmenistan to renew her passport after changing her surname. “We were assured the entire process would take no more than a month. But a year later, my wife is still unable to return to Turkey,” he explained.
This predicament has impacted dozens of families. Women have filed complaints with various government agencies in Turkmenistan, including the Presidential Administration, but no resolution has been provided. Appeals from Turkish organizations advocating for family reunification have also gone unanswered.
The Migration Service of Turkmenistan has not commented on the legal basis for applying the travel restriction. Husbands of the affected women have expressed confusion and frustration, believing that these actions infringe upon their families’ rights.
Turkmenistan frequently restricts its citizens’ travel abroad for a variety of reasons. These measures include travel bans on individuals with outstanding bank loans, parents of minor children, and citizens whose relatives have criminal records spanning three generations. Passports are often confiscated at airports until debts are paid in full.
The government has also imposed restrictions following incidents involving Turkmen citizens abroad, citing security concerns. These policies have drawn criticism from human rights activists, who have called on Turkmen authorities to lift unwarranted restrictions on freedom of movement.
