Operational Movements in Central Asia

Since 1951 IOM is playing an important role in resettlement around the world. Four IOM Missions in Central Asia: IOM Kazakhstan, IOM Kyrgzstan, IOM Tajikistan and IOM Turkmenistan are involved in arranging safe, orderly and cost effective movement of refugees, migrants and other persons of concern to the Organization to the countries of their destinations.

Leading resettlement countries for refugees from Central Asia are the United States, Canada and the Nordic countries. 

IOM Missions in Central Asia work closely with Governments, the United High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and non-government organizations. UNHCR is the main referring agency for resettlement cases, although, under some circumstances, countries may refer individuals and families directly to IOM for resettlement.

IOM Central Asian resettlement assistance includes the following activities:

• Processing travel documents and exit permissions, according to the requirments of the departure country to facilitate the safe and proper transfer of refugees across the international borders all the way up to their destination country.
• Medical screening to ensure that refugees meet the requirements of the host country and are fit to travel.
• Movement assistance including transportating refugees from country of location to their receiving countries, providing transit and departure assistance and arranging arrangement of medical or non-medical escorts were required.