Kyrgyzstan Travel Visa Requirements

Kyrgyzstan travel visa requirements vary depending on the type of visa you are applying for, and where you apply for the visa. The Kyrgyzstan travel visas available for Americans are Tourist, Business, Private, Study, Employment and Transit, and each have their own specific requirements and process.  I'm going to explain the process and requirements for a Kyrgyz tourist visa in this HubPage.

Kyrgyzstan tourist visas are good for 30 days of travel through this beautiful country and can be obtained in single or double entry. The fee for these visas are $100 and $115 respectively when applying from the U.S. With your Kyrgyzstan tourist visa application, you will need a completed application form written in clear print, a passport sized photo attached to it, a valid passport and payment.

A valid passport in order to get a Kyrgyzstan visa includes a clean page for the visa, as well as an passport expiration date of NO SOONER than 90 days from ending date of your desired visa. Payments are only acceptable in money orders made out to the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The good thing about a Kyrgyzstan tourist visa is that Americans, along with a long list of other countries, do not need to provide a letter of invitation in order to receive it.  In comparison to many other Central Asian countries, Kyrgyzstan is one of the easiest countries to enter for Americans.  For the other visas longer than 30 days, please note that Americans DO need a letter of invitation.

The only Kyrgyzstan Embassy in America is located in Washington D.C. meaning that most of the time, the Kyrgyzstan tourist visa will be applied for by mail.  In this procedure, you will need to also include a pre-paid envelope to ship your passport back to you.  The Kyrgyz Embassy is not responsible for providing shipping of the passport back to the owner.

It is wise to choose higher quality shipping methods when sending your passport through the mail.  Also, choosing to have delivery confirmation and shipping insurance is not a bad idea.  When it comes to protecting your passport in the mail, it is wise to take any extra precautions.

The Kyrgyzstan tourist visa can be obtained on arrival at the Manas International Airport.  When entering the customs and passport control area, those with visas already will file over to the right booth, while those applying will navigate to the left booth.  The booth will provide the necessary forms for applying for the tourist visa.

Kyrgyzstan tourist visas cannot be issued at any border crossing into the country. However, there is something to be said about what a little bit of money can get you in this area of the world. Whereas I refused to pay a bribe, a friend of mine was actually able to get past certain visa issues with a little extra cash.

When applying by mail, the processing time for a normal visa can run up to 10 business days from the time all materials are received at the embassy, plus shipping times. There are, of course, some extenuating circumstances where the tourist visa processing time is longer than 10 days, but there is also an urgent processing time of only 3 days. The fee for urgent requests is twice the amount of the normal visa fees.

A visa on arrival is basically received immediately after the form is filled in at the airport and fees are paid.

A Kyrgyzstan travel visa is perfect for those wanting a taste of a beautiful country that not many people really know about. You can take up a Russian language immersion, swim in Lake Issyk Kul, sleep in a yurt, go on a horseback tour or experience the various amazing markets.

With a scenery composed of nearly 97% mountains, a camera and trekking shoes are necessities.  Even though it might be a long and extensive journey to get to Kyrgyzstan, it is an experience well worth it.  So, what are you waiting for?  Hurry up and get your visas!

The information provided is accurate to the best of my ability when written.  It is advisable to always check with the embassy before applying.