The Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan and the Netherlands discussed visa facilitation for Kazakh citizens within the Schengen Zone on April 3. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, a telephone conversation took place between the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Hanke Bruins Slot.
During the conversation, the parties discussed strengthening bilateral political and trade-economic relations, as well as cooperation within multilateral structures. They also touched upon the issues of easing the visa regime for citizens of Kazakhstan within the Schengen Zone, as stated in the message.
It is noted that the ministers also exchanged views on current issues on the international agenda and agreed to maintain regular dialogue. Earlier reports suggested that Kazakh citizens may face an increase in Schengen visa fees in 2024. Currently, the European Commission is considering the possibility of raising the fee for Schengen visa applications by 12.5%.
