Uzbek Justice Ministry Clarifies “Last USSR Citizen” Case

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan has addressed reports circulating on social media titled “The Last USSR Citizen Lives in Samarkand.”

The Ministry confirmed that Onarkhol Kholdorovna Kubayeva, born on December 21, 1972, in Nurotin district, lived for many years in the Kuvkalla neighborhood of Koshrabot district and moved to the Nakurt neighborhood of Payaryk district after her marriage in 1992.

Due to complex family circumstances and limited attention to official document processing, she continued using a USSR passport. Kubayeva had not previously contacted local authorities, law enforcement, or citizenship and migration offices, so her Soviet passport had not been exchanged for a document of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

To resolve the issue, the Justice Departments of Koshrabot and Payaryk districts, together with the Payaryk District Migration and Citizenship Office, took the necessary measures. On March 14, 2026, Kubayeva was issued an official Uzbek ID card.

The Ministry emphasized that work to protect citizens’ rights and ensure proper identity documentation will continue.