Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan, China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and almost all of it is mountains, the ranges of the Tian Shan and, in the south, the Pamir-Alay. Its people keep the traditions of herders, the yurt, the horse and the summer move to the high pastures, alongside two lively cities, Bishkek in the north and Osh in the south. Kyrgyz and Russian are the official languages.
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Visa requirements for Kyrgyzstan
Holders of American, British, Canadian, Australian, Irish and New Zealand passports need no visa for a visit to Kyrgyzstan of up to 60 days. Indian and Nigerian travellers need one and apply for the Kyrgyzstan e-visa online before travelling. Business, study and work have visas of their own, applied for with an invitation or an admission. The passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry.
Before you travel
Admitted at the border
A visitor whose passport needs no visa receives an entry stamp at the border for a stay of up to 60 days, with nothing to apply for before the journey.
The e-visa, applied for online
The Kyrgyzstan e-visa is applied for online before the journey, and the printed approval is shown with the passport at the border.
Six months on the passport
The passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry and have a blank page for the stamps.
Declaring cash
Cash worth more than the equivalent of USD 10,000 is declared in writing at customs on arrival.
Visa types
Visit without a visa
For tourism, business meetings and family visits, where the passport needs no visa: an entry stamp is given at the border.
Kyrgyzstan e-visa
For Indian and Nigerian travellers: applied for online before travelling, with the approval printed and shown at the border.
Business, study and work visas
For longer business stays, with a letter of invitation from a host company in Kyrgyzstan; for study, with the admission of a Kyrgyz university, the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek among them; and for work, once the employer has the work permit. Applied for through a Kyrgyz embassy or consulate, and residence permits for longer stays are issued in the country after entry.
Guides
Most journeys in Kyrgyzstan start in Bishkek and follow a loop through the mountains: east to the great lake of Issyk-Kul and the valleys above Karakol, then up to the yurts of Song-Kul and on to the caravanserai of Tash-Rabat. The south, around Osh and the walnut forests, is a flight away. The high country belongs to the short summer, from late June to early September.
Kyrgyzstan travel guide →
Cholpon-Ata, Karakol and the valleys above it, the jailoo and yurts of Song-Kul, Ala-Archa's glacier valley and the Burana Tower, the pilgrim paths of Sulaiman-Too, Tash-Rabat, the walnut harvest of Arslanbob, and two weeks from Bishkek.
Money in Kyrgyzstan →
The som and changing money, cash machines in the towns, cards in Bishkek and cash beyond it, and cash for the mountains.
Eating in Kyrgyzstan →
The dasturkhan, beshbarmak and the meat dishes, noodles, dumplings and pastries, kymyz and the drinks of the pastures, and the bazaars of the south.
Getting around Kyrgyzstan →
Arriving by air or from Almaty, minibuses and shared taxis, a car with a driver, Bishkek to Osh, driving yourself and getting around Bishkek.
Health & safety in Kyrgyzstan →
Before the trip, altitude, weather in the mountains, water and food, roads, horses and dogs, towns and bazaars, and medical care.
Embassies & missions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Kyrgyzstan?
Not for a visit of up to 60 days on a US, UK, Canadian, Australian, Irish or New Zealand passport. Indian and Nigerian travellers need the Kyrgyzstan e-visa.
How do I apply for the Kyrgyzstan e-visa?
Online, before the journey; the approval is printed and shown with the passport at the border.
How long must my passport be valid for Kyrgyzstan?
For at least six months from the date of entry, with a blank page for the stamps.
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This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.