From passports to ID cards: the Turkic world's push toward open borders

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) member nations are developing a "Turkic ID" program, an effort to facilitate travel between their countries using national ID cards instead of passports.

Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan are currently deliberating the initiative. Hungary and Turkmenistan, which hold observer status within the OTS, have not yet declared their participation. Should it be implemented, the program is anticipated to streamline cross-border travel, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and stimulate trade, tourism, and cultural interactions among member states.

In recent times, the OTS has progressively broadened collaboration among its members across various sectors, including economics, transportation, digitalization, education, culture, logistics, and the defense industry. A unified identification system has the potential to further accelerate this cooperative trend.

The project's timing is notable, coinciding with the ongoing development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. This route connects China, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe through a logistics network that circumvents Russian territory. Simplifying the movement of individuals across borders could, in turn, expedite transport, investment, and business ventures along this corridor.

During an informal consultative gathering of Central Asian and Azerbaijani leaders, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov previously suggested the creation of a single tourist visa for foreign visitors intending to travel throughout Central Asia. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have expressed their support for this proposal. Japarov stated his hope that the initiative will ultimately gain the endorsement of all countries in the region.