Kyrgyzstan is increasingly becoming a popular destination for expats and digital nomads seeking to immerse themselves in its rich culture and affordable lifestyle. However, navigating the visa regulations can be a bit of a challenge, especially for those who wish to extend their stay beyond the duration permitted by their initial tourist visa.
VISA RUNS IN KYRGYZSTAN
The short answer is that Kyrgyzstan introduced restrictions for foreign citizens who are subject to a visa-free regime in October 2023. This is not legal advice - I recommend you consult with an immigration lawyer to provide you with the best solution for you.
However, I hope my blog post can provide you with some insights into my experience of doing visa runs from Kyrgyzstan.
What is a visa run?
A visa run, for the uninitiated, is a short trip out of the country to reset the visa clock, allowing one to re-enter on a new visa or visa exemption period. While the concept might seem straightforward, executing a successful visa run requires knowledge of nearby countries, their visa policies, and how they align with Kyrgyzstan’s immigration rules.
Before October 2023
Before the regulations were implemented, my Canadian passport allowed me to stay in Kyrgyzstan for 60 days, visa-free. So, every 60 days I would exit Kyrgyzstan and enter a neighboring country such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, or Tajikistan. I went to Kazakhstan because the border is a short distance from Bishkek, they share a border and no visa requirements are required for me to enter Kazakhstan. So it was a convenient choice. In one situation, I visited Almaty for three days, and in another, I crossed the border to Kazakhstan and crossed the border into Kyrgyzstan within a hour. It may depend on the immigration officer you encounter, but one may question you as to why you are leaving and coming back the same day.
"Kyrgyzstan limits visa-free regime for foreign citizens"
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported in October 2023,
"«This provision provides for a number of the following innovations — the abolition of visa run. The practice in which foreign citizens often travel outside the country and return back in order to extend their stay on the territory of the republic will now be limited by the introduction of a visa-free regime based on «60/120» principle,»."
To put this in simpler terms, once you leave Kyrgyzstan to go on a visa run after 60 days, the visa clock does not necessarily reset. Within a period of 120 days in Kyrgyzstan, you are only allowed to stay for 60 days. This means that you need to be outside of the country for another 60 days before you can enter Kyrgyzstan.
«For citizens who can visit Kyrgyzstan visa-free for up to 90 days, the terms will be calculated according to the 90/180 principle,» the ministry informed.
After October 2023
After these regulations were implemented, I lived in Bishkek for 60 days and flew back to see family in Seoul, South Korea for 60 days. Unfortunately, this was not sustainable as the costs of flying were starting to pile up.
If you are looking for other options to stay in Kyrgyzstan long-term, I'd recommend you to look into the available visa options. They recently opened up a Digital Nomad visa, and according to their website, "is issued by the DCS to a foreign citizen or a stateless person engaged in activities in the field of information and communication technologies and engaged in the development of software products, at the request of the authorized state body for the implementation of state policy in the field of digitalization and electronic management or the owner of the status "Digital Nomad "Digital nomad" for up to 6 months."
To learn more about visas, here is the official Kyrgyzstan e-Visa website - https://www.evisa.e-gov.kg/index.php.
SUMMARY OF DOING VISA RUNS IN KYRGYZSTAN
In conclusion, since October 2023, you can not do visa runs from Kyrgyzstan. I recommend you stay informed about visa regulations, plan your trip carefully, and take full advantage of the unique opportunities each destination offers. Safe travels!
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