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🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan /Elections & Politics

Kyrgyzstan Should Introduce Visa Fee for US Citizens, Ambassador Says

From 24.kg · () Russian

Translated from Russian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Interview Named sources New plan
  • Kyrgyz Ambassador Edil Baisalov proposed introducing a visa regime and a $100 to $200 fee for US citizens visiting Kyrgyzstan.
  • He said the measure would not reduce the number of American tourists and argued that Kyrgyzstan could respond to tighter US entry conditions for its citizens.
  • The United States made its visa-bond program for citizens of 50 countries, including Kyrgyzstan, permanent from August 3, 2026.

Kyrgyzstan should consider charging US citizens $100 to $200 for visas, according to the country’s ambassador in Washington, Edil Baisalov.

In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Azattyk service, Baisalov said Kyrgyzstan had the right to revise entry conditions for Americans if the United States tightened visa requirements for Kyrgyz citizens.

“Whether they 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 from American citizens who want to come,” Baisalov said.

Whether they 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 from American citizens who want to come.

· Edil BaisalovThe Kyrgyz ambassador argued that his country could respond to stricter US visa requirements with a fee for American visitors.

He argued that a visa fee would not reduce the number of US tourists visiting Kyrgyzstan and that tourist flows would continue to grow. “We have already passed the romantic stage. We used to be happy that foreign tourists came to us,” he said.

At the same time, Baisalov said Kyrgyz citizens should understand US migration policy. Washington previously explained its tougher visa requirements by saying that about 20% of Kyrgyz citizens who entered the United States on visas in 2020 and 2021 later remained there illegally. The US visa-bond program for citizens of 50 countries, including Kyrgyzstan, became permanent on August 3, 2026.

We have already passed the romantic stage. We used to be happy that foreign tourists came to us.

· Edil BaisalovBaisalov said Kyrgyzstan should approach the issue of tourist visas less sentimentally.
About this summary

Originally published by 24.kg in Russian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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