Getting a Kyrgyzstan Visa from U.S. & Overseas

So, you've decided to go to Kyrgyzstan. Good on ya! Kyrgyzstan is a wonderful and unknown country in the middle of Central Asia, surrounded by mountains and about as untouched as they come. Being a former Soviet Republic, Kyrgyzstan is only recently becoming known as a travel destination, but one thing is for sure - you need a visa to go there.

Getting a Kyrgyzstan visa can be done from either the U.S. (I'm assuming you are American like me, sorry) or from overseas. One would think that getting a visa issued through an embassy in their own country would be a much easier process than dealing with a country where people don't speak your language, but I had other experiences.

Getting a Kyrgyzstan Visa from U.S.

Being the type that likes to prepare for upcoming adventures, I decided I would attempt to get my Kyrgyzstan visa from home rather than risk one upon arrival. My situation was a bit interesting because I knew I would be taking a Russian language immersion course for at least 3 months and therefore needed something other than a tourist visa.

The Kyrgyzstan visa website did not list any visa for study (they have since updated this website), just tourist and business, so I attempted to phone the Kyrgyz embassy in Washington D.C. multiple times with various weird and/or unprofessional experiences. When I finally got hold of the person in the embassy, I could barely understand them, but what I did get out of the conversation was that I should apply for the 3 month business visa.

The business visa was of course more expensive than the tourist visa (it was around $120 while a tourist visa was around $100), but I went for it. I gathered all my necessary documents (including a letter from the language school I was to attend), payments and passport and shipped them off to the embassy for approval. About a week later, I received my package back only to find a big, fat tourist visa and no letter or refund of the extra money I had sent. On top of that, I was shocked to see there were mistakes on my hand-written visa that was now inside my passport.

Even with all this preparation, it turned out that I still only had a tourist visa and had to deal with getting that extended while in Kyrgyzstan in order to finish my Russian language immersion course.

Getting a Kyrgyzstan Visa on Arrival in Bishkek

A 30 day tourist visa can be obtained on arrival in the Manas Airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan with little trouble. Please keep in mind the visa upon arrival ONLY works if flying into the country. There are no border checkpoints that issue a visa on arrival.

I was a bit perturbed to realize how easy the visa on arrival process in Bishkek really is, making my process of costly postage fees and stressful phone calls back in the States for the EXACT SAME TOURIST VISA more of a disappointment.

After exiting the plane, you will be brought to the customs and passport check area. Those needing to obtain a visa will head into a line at the booth on the left, while those already holding a visa will report to the line on the right. From what I have gathered, you basically just have to fill out a form and hand over some dollars to receive the 30 day Kyrgyzstan tourist visa.

If you are requesting a longer visa - perhaps 2 months - you can do so if you have a letter of invitation from an institution within Kyrgyzstan. A friend of mine flew back into the country and held her study letter from The London School in Bishkek and was able to obtain a two-month visa on arrival.

Getting a Kyrgyzstan Visa in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Obtaining a Kyrgyzstan visa while in Almaty, Kazakhstan is a lot more strenuous and exhausting than the prior options. Whereas I now prefer to obtain my Kyrgyzstan visa on arrival at the Manas International Airport in Bishkek, I was simply traveling across the border from Kazakhstan and, therefore, needed to get a visa from another embassy prior to crossing.

The Kyrgyzstan embassy in Almaty presents a visa process that people hear horror stories about. Plan on arriving early and waiting outside the gate for a few hours before someone so kindly decides to finally let you in. But, don't expect anyone to play nice. If you don't speak Russian, it might be helpful to bring a translator with you as the application is also in Russian.

If you have the ability, it is best to phone the embassy in advance to check their working hours and to see if there are visa fees that need to be paid. To pay these fees, you will have to go to one specific bank, quite far away from the Kyrgyz embassy, before they will accept your application. A friend of mine in Almaty had informed me of this beforehand so I paid the fee in advance just to find out that I was $10 short (they had recently changed the fee) and had to run back to the bank before closing to hand in my application!

Usually the visa will take a week to process, unless you pay the express fees to get your visa in just 2 days. The visa did not require passport photos, but it did require the application and receipt for payment at the bank. No letter of invitation is required for Americans applying for a 30 day tourist visa.

Kyrgyzstan Visa Requirements

Kyrgyzstan visa requirements vary by nationality and country in which the visa is applied for. To check current Kyrgyzstan visa requirements, phone the embassy, or visit their website for further details.