Turkmenistan: immigration

How many foreigners live in Turkmenistan?

3,292 citizens of other countries and 1,965 people without citizenship lived in Turkmenistan at the 2022 census, out of a population of 7,057,841, according to the State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics. The largest groups were citizens of Afghanistan (852), Turkiye (712), Russia (652) and Uzbekistan (402).

A further 6,536 people held Turkmen citizenship together with that of another country. The census counts people resident on 17 December 2022. UNHCR records 9 refugees in Turkmenistan at the end of 2025, and 1,864 refugees and 1,663 asylum seekers from Turkmenistan in other countries.

Official sources: State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics · 9 refugees · 1,864 refugees and 1,663 asylum seekers

How many Afghans does UNHCR count in Turkmenistan?

UNHCR counted 9 refugees and 3,200 other people in need of international protection from Afghanistan in Turkmenistan at the end of 2025, according to UNHCR's refugee population statistics. All were from Afghanistan.

A year earlier UNHCR recorded 3,409 refugees in Turkmenistan. The category "other people in need of international protection" covers people outside their country who need protection but are not reported as refugees or asylum seekers. UNHCR recorded no asylum applications lodged in Turkmenistan in 2025.

Official sources: UNHCR's refugee population statistics · 3,409 refugees

Where do people from Turkmenistan seek asylum?

UNHCR recorded 798 asylum applications by people from Turkmenistan in 2025, 604 of them first-time claims, according to UNHCR's asylum statistics. The rest were appeals and repeat applications.

At the end of 2025 the largest groups by country of asylum were in the United States, with 232 refugees and 919 asylum seekers, and Germany, with 877 refugees and 247 asylum seekers, according to UNHCR's breakdown by destination. The Republic of Korea had 289 asylum seekers and Russia 162 refugees. Asylum figures count only people who apply for protection, not all emigrants.

Official sources: UNHCR's asylum statistics · UNHCR's breakdown by destination

How many people born abroad live in Turkmenistan?

193,763 international migrants lived in Turkmenistan in 2024, according to UN estimates published by the World Bank. The estimate was 194,920 in 2020, 197,979 in 2010 and 219,067 in 2000.

The UN counts people born in another country, usually from census data, so it includes many long-term residents who hold Turkmen citizenship. That is why it is far higher than the 2022 census count of 3,292 foreign citizens and 1,965 stateless people. The figure is a modelled estimate between census years.

Official sources: World Bank

How many people in Turkmenistan have moved home?

496,157 of the 6,968,106 people living in private households in Turkmenistan (7.1%) were not living at their place of residence since birth at the 2022 census, according to the State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics. The other 6,471,949 had lived there since birth.

Of those who had moved, 61,706 had been at their new address for up to two years and 55,919 for three to five years. 131,439 had lived there 15 to 24 years and 134,085 for 25 years or more. The table measures moves of permanent residence, including moves within the country and from abroad.

Official sources: State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics

How much does it cost to send money to Turkmenistan?

Sending remittances cost 4.5% of the amount sent in 2025, according to the TurkmenStat SDG platform (indicator 10.c.1). The cost was also 4.5% in 2024, after 6.1% in 2022 and 2023 and 5.6% in 2021.

The indicator measures the fees and exchange-rate margin paid on a money transfer as a share of the amount sent. The figure fell by 1.6 percentage points between 2023 and 2024 and was unchanged in 2025. The platform publishes a single national value for each year.

Official sources: TurkmenStat SDG platform

What share of Turkmenistan's population are immigrants?

According to the UN Population Division, the share of people born abroad in Turkmenistan was 2.6% in 2024. It was 3.2% in 2015. It is 47th highest of 52 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 11.7%. Of 193 countries with 2024 data, 120th highest.

Are more people leaving Turkmenistan than arriving?

According to the UN Population Division, net migration in Turkmenistan was 13,268 in 2025. Its high point since 2005 was 2020, at 19,913; its low point was 2007, at 6,388. It is 16th highest of 52 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 158. World rank, highest first: 38th of 193.

How many refugees does Turkmenistan host?

According to UNHCR, the number of refugees in the country in Turkmenistan was 9 in 2025. No year since 2005 has been lower. Europe & Central Asia median: 62,365; Turkmenistan is 49th highest of 50. Worldwide: 156th of 169.

How many refugees come from Turkmenistan?

In 2025, the number of refugees from the country living abroad in Turkmenistan was 1,864, according to UNHCR. The peak was 2,580 in 2024 and the low 365 in 2017. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 533, and Turkmenistan placed 20th highest of 49. World rank, highest first: 94th of 189.