The US Embassy in Bishkek announced the extension of new tourist and business visas for citizens of Kyrgyz Republic from 5 to 10 years. Additionally, the mutual fee of $20 for visa applications for B1, B2, and B1/B2 holders from Kyrgyzstan has been waived.
These changes aim to benefit thousands of travelers from Kyrgyzstan, emphasizing the importance the United States places on facilitating travel and strengthening ties between American and Kyrgyz people.
US Ambassador to Bishkek, Leslie Viguerie, stated that these changes are aimed at improving services for the Kyrgyz people, simplifying travel between the countries, and enhancing their relations.
The new 10-year validity period applies to B1, B2, and B1/B2 visas issued starting from March 4th and does not apply retroactively to previously issued visas. The changes in validity period and reciprocity are only applicable to the mentioned visa categories.
The embassy also mentioned that further improvements in consular services are expected this summer.
It is worth noting that for citizens of Uzbekistan, B1, B2, and B1/B2 visas are issued for a one-year period with no reciprocity fee. The visa application fee is $185.
In 2022, the US Embassy in Tashkent denied B-category visas (tourist and business visas) to 47.04% of Uzbek citizens who applied. This percentage is higher than in 2021 but lower than the rates in 2020 and preceding years.
US Ambassador Jonathan Henick attributed the high visa denial rate to the increasing number of visa applications. He mentioned that more visas were approved in 2022 than ever before. Reasons for visa denials included suspicions that the stated purpose of the visit differed from the actual intention, such as tourism, and the rise in illegal border crossings into the United States.
