Kyrgyzstan Travel Document Guide

Passports are required of all visitors to Kyrgyzstan. All except nationals of CIS countries requires visas. Nationals of Turkmenistan however, are an exception to this rule and are required to obtain a visa. Those who have a visa for another CIS country need not get a separate one for Kyrgyzstan if their stay is not longer than three days. Nationals of Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Cuba, the DPR or North Korea, Vietnam, the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic do not need a visa if they are visiting as tourists and that, for a stay of a maximum of 30 days. Transit passengers do not need a visa provided they have a ticket for their onward journey, are on Kyrgyz territory for no more than 24 hours. They are not permitted to leave the airport.

You can get a visa to Kyrgyzstan by an invitation, approved by the ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with a letter of support. Some embassies are allowed to grant visas at their own discretion. Business visas always require a letter of support. Rules pertaining to travel documentation are liable to change; it is important to verify visa information and to be ready for delays in obtaining the visa.

All foreigners visiting Kyrgyzstan for over three days need to register at the Office of Visas and Regulations. If you register at Bishkek, it is valid for one month’s stay in the country. Registration is automatic when you check in at a tourist hotel, but not if you are staying in a private home. In that case the OVIR would like to see a letter from your sponsor or a note from your hotel saying how long you’ve been there. You can be fined if caught staying without registration for more than three days. Registration is very quick if you have a visa.