Turkmenistan has amended Article 12 of the Law "On Migration," which regulates the registration of foreign citizens and stateless persons with the State Migration Service (SMS). The article has been significantly revised and expanded: while the previous version contained six parts, the new version contains 17 parts.

One of the key innovations is the transition of all procedures—registration, renewal, and deregistration—to an electronic format. All actions will be carried out in the information system of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan.

The scope of persons covered by the provisions of the article has been clarified. Specifically, when registering minors, not only parents and guardians but also other legal representatives are now considered.

The grounds for registration and renewal have been expanded. The new version additionally covers cases of changing a foreign citizen's place of stay or residence, as well as replacing or renewing their passport or other identification document. The list of grounds for deregistration now includes reinstatement of Turkmen citizenship and determination of a person's citizenship status.

The rules for registration at migration posts at state border checkpoints have been detailed. Foreign citizens arriving for tourism purposes are now classified as a separate category. For transit passengers, the maximum stay without additional registration has been clarified to five calendar days. For crew members of vehicles engaged in international road transport, the maximum stay has been increased to fifteen calendar days.

The conditions for extending registration have been clarified: it is permitted not only after visa or residence permit renewal, but also in the presence of another legal basis for staying in Turkmenistan. Extensions are granted within three working days.

The list of persons exempt from registration at their place of residence has been expanded to include officials and employees of international organizations, as well as their family members, in accordance with Turkmenistan's international treaties.