Japan and Kyrgyzstan have recently made a significant stride in their diplomatic relations by signing a visa waiver agreement. This agreement specifically benefits holders of diplomatic and service/official passports, easing their travel between the two nations.
The Kyrgyz Parliament, in a testament to the democratic process, has approved the draft law on the ratification of the bill of exchange between the Kyrgyz Embassy in Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, VisaGuide.World reports.
90-Day Visa-Free Entry for Holders of Diplomatic & Officials Passports
The visa waiver agreement, which was formalized through the exchange of notes on November 20, 2023, in Tokyo, brings several benefits. It waives visa requirements for holders of valid diplomatic and service/official passports of Kyrgyzstan and Japan for a period of 90 days.
Moreover, it allows Japanese citizens interested in short-term tourism in Kyrgyzstan to extend their stay in the country for 60 days.
Legal entities of the Kyrgyz Republic can also invite foreign citizens (individually and as part of tourist groups) to apply for short-term business or tourist electronic visas.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, foreign citizens intending to visit Kyrgyzstan can obtain visas both in electronic format through the electronic visa system and in the standard version by addressing the diplomatic missions or consular offices of the Kyrgyz Republic abroad or visa points at international checkpoints across the Kyrgyz state border.
During a summit meeting in November 2023 between the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr Kishida Fumio, and the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr Sadyr Zhaparov, it was signed the Notes of the Grant Assistance to the Kyrgyz Republic, “The Project for Improvement of Irrigation Maintenance Equipment”, and the exchange of the Note Verbale regarding the measures concerning the waiver of diplomatic and official visa requirements for diplomatic and service passport holders of both countries.
Japan & Kyrgyzstan Aim to Achieve Sustainable Socio-Economic Development in Central Asia
The two leaders agreed to work together to prepare for holding a summit meeting of the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue in 2024, which marks the 20th anniversary of the start of the Dialogue.
The two leaders expressed their determination to overcome challenges and strengthen cooperation to achieve sustainable socio-economic development in a free and open Central Asia with emphasis on “investment in people” and “quality of growth” in economy, society and human exchanges.
Based on the VisaGuide Passport Index, the Kyrgyz passport ranks 135th in the world as of May 2024. The same revealed that Kyrgyz citizens can travel visa-free to 28 countries. On the other hand, those coming from the remaining countries must apply for a visa beforehand to enter Kyrgyzstan.
Since May of this year, the Japanese passport has also been in the 14th position, meaning that Japanese citizens can travel visa-free to 153 countries worldwide.