The member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) are working on a "Turkic ID" initiative that would allow citizens of member countries to travel between one another's territories using a national identity document instead of an international passport.
The initiative is currently being discussed among Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Hungary and Turkmenistan, which hold observer status in the organization, have not made an official statement on whether they will join the project. If adopted, the scheme is expected to ease cross-border movement, cut administrative red tape, and boost trade, tourism, and cultural exchange among member states.
In recent years, the OTS has steadily expanded cooperation among its members in areas including economy, transportation, digitalization, education, culture, logistics, and the defense industry. A unified identification system could accelerate that process further.
The timing of the project is significant, coming as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route — also known as the Middle Corridor — continues to develop. The route links China, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe via a logistics network that bypasses Russian territory. Easing the movement of people across borders could, in turn, speed up transport, investment, and business initiatives along the corridor.
At an informal consultative meeting of Central Asian and Azerbaijani leaders, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov previously proposed introducing a single tourist visa for foreign nationals wishing to travel across Central Asia. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have voiced support for the initiative. Japarov said he hopes the proposal will eventually win backing from all countries in the region.
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