On June 4, the President signed the Legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Republic of Uzbekistan Bill into Law. The purpose of the Law is to regulate relations in the field of the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons.

The following basic concepts are used in this document:

-          stateless person - a person who is not a citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan and does not have proof of his belonging to the citizenship of a foreign state;

-          foreign citizen - a person who does not have citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan, who has citizenship and proof of his belonging to the citizenship (nationality) of another state;

-          ID-card of a foreign citizen and stateless person (identification card) - a document proving identity and citizenship, as well as permanent registration of the owner of an identification card in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, containing an electronic carrier (chip) with the personal biographical and biometric data of its owner entered;

-          travel documents - national passports, as well as other documents replacing them, on the basis of which, in accordance with the legislation and international treaties of the Republic of Uzbekistan, foreign citizens and stateless persons have the right to enter (leave) and stay on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The Law states that foreign citizens who have citizenship of two or more states shall be deemed citizens of the state in Uzbekistan, according to the documents on belonging to the citizenship (citizenship) of which they entered the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Foreign citizens and stateless persons permanently residing in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan are registered at the place of permanent residence in the manner prescribed by law. Foreign citizens and stateless persons permanently registered at the place of permanent residence in the territory of the republic are issued an identification card of a foreign citizen and stateless persons permanently residing in the territory of Uzbekistan.

"Political asylum in the Republic of Uzbekistan is provided to foreign citizens and stateless persons, taking into account the national interests of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the basis of generally recognized principles and norms of international law, in accordance with this Law and other regulatory legal acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan," the text of the document says.

Political asylum is granted to foreign citizens and stateless persons permanently residing in the territory of other states, as well as to members of their families seeking asylum and protection from persecution or a real threat of becoming a victim of persecution in the country of their citizenship or permanent residence for social and political activities, religious beliefs, race or nationality, as well as from other cases of violations of human rights, which are provided for by the norms of international law. The procedure and conditions for granting political asylum in the Republic of Uzbekistan are determined by the President.

Foreign citizens and stateless persons have the right to free movement on the territory of the republic in the manner prescribed by this law and other acts of legislation. The movement of foreign citizens and stateless persons on the territory of the republic may be limited in the border zones and border strips, on the territory of which movement is carried out on the basis of permits of the authorized state bodies of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The Law also refers to the rights of foreign citizens and stateless persons to work, social security, health care, education, marriage registration, etc.

It is emphasized that foreign citizens and stateless persons who are on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan are obliged to:

-          comply with the Constitution, laws and other regulatory legal acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan;

-          respect the rights, freedoms, honor and dignity of citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as foreign citizens and stateless persons in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan;

-          to protect the historical, spiritual and cultural heritage of the people of Uzbekistan;

-          take good care of the natural environment.