Foreign nationals who have exceeded the permitted length of stay in Kyrgyzstan will be refused entry

A new procedure for the registration of foreign nationals and stateless persons is being introduced in Kyrgyzstan. The length of stay will be automatically calculated via the Unified External Migration Registration System, and those who exceed the prescribed time limits may be refused re-entry into the country.

The relevant procedure was approved by a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 4 September. The document will come into force in 15 days.

One of the key changes concerns the digital registration of foreign nationals. The Unified System for Recording External Migration will record details of border crossings, periods of stay, registration and actual residential addresses. The system will automatically calculate the permitted duration of stay in Kyrgyzstan.

If a foreign national or stateless person exceeds the authorised period of stay, this will constitute grounds for refusing entry on their next attempt to cross the border. Consequently, foreign nationals must either extend their registration in advance or obtain another document permitting them to remain in the country legally.

The requirements for registration at a place of residence are also changing. For residential houses and flats, the standard is set at no less than 12 square metres per person. Furthermore, no more than 10 foreign nationals may be registered at a single address, with the exception of close relatives.

It is planned to verify the host’s right to provide accommodation automatically. Information about the property owner will be fed into the migration system from the state property database. This should reduce the amount of paperwork whilst also curbing the widespread practice of fictitious mass registration of foreign nationals.

Registration will automatically become invalid if a foreign national has left Kyrgyzstan for 30 calendar days or more. Upon their return, they will have to re-register in accordance with the standard procedures.

When renewing registration for nationals of countries with a visa-free regime, as well as for stateless persons, a document confirming the existence of health insurance will be required. Foreign nationals will also be required to provide details of their crossing of the state border and the document on the basis of which they entered Kyrgyzstan.

Registration can be completed through an authorised state body or online. The host party – the property owner, hotel, organisation, educational institution or other person who has provided the foreign national with accommodation – is involved in the procedure.

The new decree replaces the procedure that had been in force since December 2016. At the same time, Government Decree No. 689 and eight subsequent acts, which amended and supplemented the registration rules, are repealed.

The document also sets out specific registration periods for nationals of certain countries. For nationals of EAEU countries – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia – registration may be issued for a period of up to 90 calendar days. However, the total duration of their stay must not exceed 90 days within any 180-day period.

Citizens of Turkey, Mongolia, Ukraine and Serbia may register for a period of up to 90 days within the limits of the visa-free regime applicable to them. If they intend to remain in Kyrgyzstan for longer, their registration must be extended on the basis of a valid visa.

For citizens of Uzbekistan arriving for private purposes, registration is granted for a period of up to 60 calendar days from the date of entry. To remain in the country beyond this period, they will need to extend their registration for the duration of their visa.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a comprehensive list of countries, specifying the period during which their citizens may stay in Kyrgyzstan without registration. However, it has not yet been possible to locate this document in publicly available sources.