Kazakhstan Temporarily Suspends the Visa-Free Regime

According to Interfax Kazakhstan, the country wants to prolong the suspension of the visa-free regime for foreigners until November 1, 2020.

The draft stipulates suspending the validity of paragraph 17 of the rules for immigrants to enter, stay in, and depart from the Republic of Kazakhstan (dated January 21, 2012) until November 1, 2020.

However, for now, the document is available for public discussion and may start being enforced after April 29.

The visa-free regime was suspended in Kazakhstan on March 30.

Since April 2018, citizens of India and China could stay in Kazakhstan visa-free for 72 hours, if they were traveling by Kazakhstani airlines to third countries through Almaty or Nur-Sultan. In January 2020, Kazakhstan’s government expanded the 72-hour visa-free regime for citizens of India and China for the following Kazakhstani cities: Shymkent, Aktau, Karaganda, and Taraz.