The initiative for this meeting came from the Kyrgyz side, where aspects of bilateral consular cooperation and changes in the visa policy of the United States were discussed.
The importance of a constructive exchange of views on visa issues was emphasized by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who believe it will help find mutually acceptable solutions.
For its part, the American side pointed out key points regarding compliance with the visa regime by citizens of Kyrgyzstan and expressed interest in further discussions on these issues, as noted in the statement from the Ministry's press service.
Previously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern about new visa requirements that could negatively impact mutual travel between the citizens of the two countries. This, in turn, could lead to a decrease in business and tourism contacts, hindering the development of trade and economic relations between the states, which was also a subject of discussion.
Since January 21 of this year, citizens of Kyrgyzstan applying for non-immigrant visas to the U.S. in categories B1 (business trips) and B2 (tourism) are required to pay a refundable deposit ranging from $5,000 to $15,000.
