Special navigation signs dedicated to citizens of member and observer states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) have appeared at Istanbul Airport. This initiative is linked to plans for establishing separate passport control lanes for citizens of Turkic nations, TuraNews.kz reports citing Dalanews.kz.
According to information published by the Turkish aviation news outlet HavaSosyalMedya, signage featuring the flags of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Hungary, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has been spotted at Istanbul Airport. Media reports suggest that these indicators may be connected to the broader regional initiative to facilitate travel using national ID cards. However, the airport administration has not yet officially announced the entry into force of the new system.
Dedicated Passport Control Booths Under Consideration
Earlier, following the third meeting of the Ministers of Internal Affairs of the OTS member states held in Astana on September 10, 2026, Turkish Minister of Internal Affairs Mustafa Ciftci voiced support for creating dedicated passport control zones at airports for citizens of Turkic countries.
Modeled after similar practices in the European Union, the system aims to streamline border control procedures and save travel time. Nevertheless, specific launch dates and the full list of participating airports have yet to be disclosed.
Will Kazakhstani Citizens Be Able to Travel Without Passports?
Discussions regarding the expansion of passport-free travel using national ID cards are ongoing within the framework of the OTS. Currently, such an arrangement operates between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, while proposals to extend this mechanism to citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan remain under consideration.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan has clarified that reports claiming a universal ID-card travel regime will take effect across Turkic states starting January 1, 2027, have not been confirmed, noting that a binding intergovernmental agreement has not yet been signed. Thus, while the new signage at Istanbul Airport marks progress toward closer integration, the official launch of the dedicated control lanes remains pending formal confirmation.
