KYRGYZSTAN: REQUEST TO CHANGE VISA RECIPROCITY SCHEDULE

UNCLAS BISHKEK 000886 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR CA/VO/F/P: PATTY HILL, LAURA STEIN AND RACHEL HILTON SCA/CEN: JGORKOWSKI FRANKFURT FOR RCO KBROUGHAM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CVIS KFRD KREC PGOV KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN: REQUEST TO CHANGE VISA RECIPROCITY SCHEDULE REF: A) Bishkek 499 B) 08 Bishkek 654 C) 07 Bishkek 1328 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: As reported in reftel A, the Kyrgyz government continues to violate existing visa reciprocity between the United States and the Kyrgyz Republic. On May 29, 2009, Embassy Bishkek sent Diplomatic Note Number 203 protesting these changes and advising the Kyrgyz government that the existing visa reciprocity schedule would be changed if their policies did not return to the previous visa reciprocity schedule. The Kyrgyz Ministry Foreign Affairs informed the U.S. Embassy via Diplomatic Note Number 011/013-4793K dated July 7, 2009 that it would not issue multiple entry visas for tourist visas. It would, however, instruct its Embassies abroad to issue other multiple entry visas such as student or work visas. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Post requests the following visa category and ONLY the following visa category be changed. Post does not/not wish to change Official or Diplomatic visas (A's and G's,) or any other visa categories at this time. Visa Category Old Reciprocity New Reciprocity B-1 Multiple, 12 months Single, 3 months B-2 Multiple, 12 months Single, 3 months B-1/B-2 Multiple, 12 months Single, 3 months