Astana, Kazakhstan, July 11
By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend:
Starting next week, the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs is introducing a pilot project for a visa-free entry for citizens of some countries, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Rapil Zhoshybayev said.
"Kazakh Foreign Ministry is implementing a pilot project envisaging facilitated entry of the citizens of a number of countries into the country," he said.
Earlier it was reported that on June 12, 2014, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev speaking at the Foreign Investors` Council, announced about the introduction of a unilateral visa-free regime for citizens of 10 countries demonstrating the highest investment activity in Kazakhstan.
The United States, the Netherlands, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea and Japan are among these countries.
The visa-free regime will be introduced in a pilot format from July 15, 2014, and it will be in force for a year, ie until July 15, 2015, the first deputy FM said.
Kazakh ministry's press-service said that the citizens of 10 countries holding valid diplomatic, official and national passports can repeatedly enter, exit and transit through the country without a visa for up to 15 calendar days from the moment of crossing the state border of Kazakhstan.
In accordance with the new rules, in the case of a justified need for further stay of a foreign citizen from the above countries on the territory of Kazakhstan, it will be necessary in the manner prescribed by law to obtain a "business" visa - in the internal affairs of the country and "Investor" visa - in Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After successful testing of the pilot project, that is, a year later, the list of countries whose citizens will be granted visa-free entry to Kazakhstan will be expanded, according to Zhoshybayev.
Edited by CN