Visa Regulations Kazakhstan
 

Hi everybody!

Has anyone news about the visa regulations of kazakhstan? I am wondering if the recent regulations that certain nations don't need a visa for a stay of 15 days in the country will continue after the 15th July 2015 ...

Unfortunately there is no update on the embassy's homepage in Germany.

Thank you for any updates!

Thomas

Correct!!!! And may be they continue for another year!!!!

The US embassy in Kazakhstan didn't know as of 2 days ago, they said they hope to know within the next 2 weeks. I plan on meeting my bike in Kazakhstan in early August, to play it safe I may just apply for a visa while in Korea this month (although they charge Americans an arm and a leg).

I understand they have agreed to extend the visa waiver, but that it requires an act of Parliament to come in to force, and that is unlikely to happen before the existing visa waiver pilot ends on 15 July.

We aim to arrive the week after so are applying for visas in the UK. Pain in the rear but better to have wasted the money than to arrive and not have access.

Kazakhstan adds more countries in visa-free programme extension - TTG Asia - Leader in Hotel, Airlines, Tourism and Travel Trade News

"Piloted in 2014, the year-long scheme offered to 10 countries – France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, South Korea, the UAE, UK and US – would have expired on July 15.

Under the new extension, the 10 countries initially given the visa-free entry will continue to enjoy the facility until 2017."

Yes, it is a pain in the ass! Recently we stay in Mongolia and would love to stay longer but due the fact that there will not be any news of extension of the visa whaiver, we have to leave Mongolia very soon to be out of Kazakhstan in time. Grrr. But as we never would have made it from Germany up to Kazakhstan within the 3 month validity of a regular tourist visa ... Things are just how they are. A pain in the ass ;-)

WOW - I replied simultanously to your info! where did get the news from???
Sounds miraculous! :clap:

There's only the link in my post to the press report. Waiting confirmation from the Kazakh Consular Office.

I thought they'd extend it!

I phoned the KAZ embassy in London a month or two ago, and they advised me to get a visa...

Confirmed by the London Kazakh Consular Office this morning that no visa is needed for a visit of less than 14 days.

Hi all, yesterday i called the kazakh Embassy in Berlin and they comfirmed the Extension as well. They also Said that the Info will be published on their Homepage within the next couple of days. That are great news.

Yes, great news:D

Not for everybody...dohdoh

I though that this was true for all travellers and now, I 'm waiting for the Kazakh visa....:(

Regards:mchappy:

For clarity (from Wikipedia)

Visa is not required for citizens of following 16 countries/territories:

Argentina2 (25 Feb 2014)
Armenia1 (28 Apr 2008)
Azerbaijan2 (23 Apr 2010)
Belarus1 (7 Jun 2002)
Georgia1 (21 Jun 2007)
Hong Kong3 (26 Jul 2012)
Mongolia1 (2 Jan 1995)
Kyrgyzstan1 (7 Jun 2002)
Moldova1 (5 Jan 2007)
Russia1 (7 Jun 2002)
Serbia2 (28 May 2011)
South Korea2 (29 Nov 2014)
Tajikistan2 (7 Jun 2002)
Turkey2 (2 Apr 1992)
Ukraine1 (27 Feb 2002)
Uzbekistan2 (26 Jun 2003)
1 – up to 90 days
2 – up to 30 days
3 – up to 14 days

Visa-free regime was signed with Ecuador in September 2013 and has yet to be ratified

No-visa pilot program
Citizens of the following countries do not require a visa for stays up to 15 days as part of a no-visa pilot program for countries with the highest investment in Kazakhstan economy. The program was initially started on 15 July 2014 providing visa free access to 10 countries. This was later extended to provide visa free access to the following 19 countries:

Australia*
Belgium*
Finland*
France
Germany
Hungary*
Italy
Japan
Malaysia
Monaco*
Netherlands
Norway*
Singapore*
Spain*
Sweden*
Switzerland*
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
* - these 10 additional countries will become eligible on 15 July 2015 as part of the second phase.

Visa free for up to 15 days
 

That's great news, we plan on being there sometime next month.

Hi,


confirmation of the program extension is on the website of the Kazakh Embassy in Berlin:


Die Republik Kasachstan hat das Visaregime für Staatsbürger von Australien, Ungarn, Italien, Monaco, Belgien, Spanien, Niederlande, Norwegen, Schweden, Malaysia, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate, Singapur, Großbritannien, Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika, Deutschland, Finnland, Frankreich, Schweiz und Japan einseitig aufgehoben.
In diesem Zusammenhang können sich die Bürger der o.a. Länder im Zeitraum vom 16. Juli 2015 bis 31. Dezember 2017 in Kasachstan ohne Visum bis zu 15 Tagen aufhalten.


see you there
Bernd

Wahoo

:stormy::stormy:....I didn't know that information. Thank you very much:thumbup1:

does anyone know whether this also works for multiple entry?

Say I spend 15 days in Kazakhstan, leave and return 3 weeks later to spend another 15 days. Would I still not need a visum?

I have a Belgian passport, so that falls under the extended no-visa pilot program, allowing me to spend 15 days in KZ without needing a visum. That's all pretty clear to me.

But what I was wondering was whether there are other limitations that would prevent me from entering the country for 2 separate 15-day periods with a few weeks in between.

(to make it very concrete: i'd like to know whether I would still need to apply for a KZ visum if I want to spend 2 weeks there riding from KG to Russia and then again 2 weeks in KZ on my return trip a few weeks later)

I very much doubt there would be any problem. Most of these types of visa free programs limit access to 180 days a year or 90 days per 6 months. So simply entering twice for short stays is not likely to be an issue.

Update to visa regulations:

when we came to Ust Kamenogorsk to register at the migration police which has to do every person who stays more than 5 days, the ladies in the office told us, that a registration for those who are on a TRANSITVISUM for max. 15 days (which is ment to be the visa free regulation!!!) don't need to register anymore.

We didn't believe them, insisted to register us, but no chance. At the end we got a telephone number of the head of the migration police office in case of any problems at the border concerning a missing registration.

At the border near Kegen from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyztan the customs officers didn't know about that and asked why we had no registration. We explained and gave them the number we got from the migration office. They called this person and - oh how wonderful is that - it was true that a registration is not needed on a 15 days stay without a visa!

On a regular tourist visa or any visa else is still a registration needed!!! So be careful.

After 15 days in Kazakhstan on this Transit-kind-of-thing we left the country without any problem!

So again, no registration is needed without a visa on a maximum stay of 15 days! But check with the migration police office, try to get a telephone number of someone who can help you out in case the officers at the border are not informed about that!

Happy travels through Kazakhstan! :palm:

No registration
 

Thank you Thomas for posting this here, I think this is important.

Would you please send me (by pm) the phone number of this head of migration, as I will take the ferry over the Caspian sea in the end of the month.

Greetings from Kyrgyzstan
mika

registration without a visa
 

Hi all,

so I crossed in the South West of Kazakhstan, coming from Uzbekistan (Nukus) and leaving by ferry from Aktau to Baku/Azerbaidjan.

August 2015

The immigration card I got on the border stated in English, that I would need to register when I would stay longer than five days.

I stayed only four days, so nobody asked for registration. So, make sure you read whats on this card, to avoid any problems when you leave the country.

Greetings from Baku
mika

Hi all,
The registration card has not been changed for tourists who are going on the non-visa-program. We had the same registration card as everybody else gets it at the border and did not need to register. Despite the registration card says that every foreigner has to.

Only if you have a normal tourist visa or business visa or what ever, you MUST register. On the non-visa-program with 15 days of stay NOT.

Thats all I can say due to my experience. Hope this helps.

Cheers

@ mika: sorry, haven't been on the internet for while. Otherwise i woukd have sent you a pm!

Hey all, any updates or recent experience on this question of entering Kazakhstan several times under the visa free program?

I would like to enter Kazakhstan from Russia, ride to Kyrgyzstan, then re-enter Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan... each visit thru Kazakhstan lasting less than 15 days.

From the info here on HUBB and Caravanistan it doesn't seem this would be a problem, but I'd like to avoid any unwelcome surprises... :cool4: Thanks!

No problems at all, I just left RUS to KAZ and entered KYR, I asked at the boarder, it´s not a problem. Each entry gets you a 15 days stay in KAZ.
I´m in Bishkek right now!
Wonderful place! But beware of the police, always have some dollars for bribing :-((

No, you don't ! the Kyrgyz cops may be the most corrupt of all central Asia, but there's always a way out without making us look like an ATM. It takes time and a lot of talking, but that should be about it.
I mean, of course, you do what you want but at least don't push other to do it :oops2:
Enjoy Kyrg, a fantastic country.
Laurent

Hi Laurent,
sure you also can do whatever you like. My advice ist to have some dollars ready.
You have been at the Bishkek boarder lately?
If you want to avoid violence by the police there, have some dollars. If you can take some violence by the police, then start arguing. You might get away with some minor bruises and not paying. I prefer to just move on and don´t take it.
I don´t want to "press" someone to do. This is a forum and what I do is giving advice from my experience. (about one week old), and the experience from a french family falling for the same "Stop sign" scam. He didn´t pay but was held on the chair by two masked "special forces" soldiers. If you´re into that, O.K. go for it, I´m not.

Funny wise I did the same border in 2015 and the boarder guards of Kirgistan an Kazakhstan have been both very helpful and friendly.

it is the second border, where you have problems now.

Do you have some big german or British flag on your bike?

That STOP sign is there since years: just be friendly, don't be scared, and in 10 minutes you'll be on your way...

What "Bishkek" border, the one at Korday ? I've been through last September and it was just as as boring as possible, just queuing up, stamping and no question asked.

I'm not aware of the french family's story, but I'm interested, can you elaborate or point to its thread or blog ? (this is way OT now).

No, I didn´t see the almost hidden Stop sign and was stopped by the police like many others. Please don´t intrigue the impression I´m doing something wrong!

I didn´t read that story, I met the french family. And they told me the story while we had dinner in their truck.

update visa registration june 2016
 

hello my travelling friends.

I am driving through Kasachstan and I went to Migration Office in Aktöbe. There I receaved the registrationpaper like the official rules say. Hope this information us helpful for somebody.

Good luck

Hi,

had the same experience. Custom at Kengen boarder told us that registration is necessary. OVIR in Almaty sent us away:

"No Visa - No registration"

Leaving Kazakhstan the boarder guard just asked "Visa?" after the reply "No, 15 days" he stamped the migration card and passport and off we where.

So definitely no more registration if you enter on the 15 day visa free program.

Sometimes it saves time to read threads before ;-)

regards
Bernd

Registration
 

Hi
I was 3 times in Kazachstan and they never ask about registrations.
Don't worry about it, just smile and say "Kazachstan eta prikrasnaja strana"