Edil Baisalov proposes introducing a visa fee for US citizens in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan should consider charging U.S. citizens $100 to $200 for visas, Ambassador Edil Baisalov said in an interview with Radio Azattyk.

Baisalov said Kyrgyzstan had the right to reconsider entry conditions for Americans if the United States tightened visa requirements for Kyrgyz citizens. “Whether to let us in or not, and under what conditions, is their sovereign right. But we should also introduce a visa and charge $100 or $200 to U.S. citizens who want to visit,” he said.

The ambassador argued that a visa fee would not reduce the number of American tourists visiting Kyrgyzstan. He said tourist arrivals would continue to grow, adding that the country had “already moved past the romantic stage” when it was simply happy to see foreign tourists arrive.

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Whether to let us in or not, and under what conditions, is their sovereign right. But we should also introduce a visa and charge $100 or $200 to U.S. citizens who want to visit.

Baisalov also said Kyrgyz citizens should understand U.S. migration policy. Washington previously cited data showing that around 20% of Kyrgyz citizens who entered the United States on visas in 2020 and 2021 later remained illegally.

Since Aug. 3, 2026, the U.S. visa bond program for citizens of 50 countries, including Kyrgyzstan, has been permanent. The bond can reach $20,000.

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We have already moved past the romantic stage. We used to be happy simply because foreign tourists were coming to our country.