Kazakhstan and the European Union (EU) have agreed to initiate official consultations on the facilitation of the visa regime for Kazakh citizens traveling to Europe, QazMonitor reports citing the ministry of foreign affairs.
During the official visit of Murat Nurtleu, the deputy prime minister – the minister of foreign affairs, to Brussels, he discussed mutual visa policy issues with Ylva Johansson, the European commissioner for home affairs.
Nurtleu informed his interlocutor that since 2017, our country has unilaterally implemented a visa-free regime for citizens of all EU states in order to foster business cooperation, tourism, and human connections. The minister also emphasized the high human capital of our citizens and noted that Kazakhstan has taken various measures to combat illegal migration, regarding which he specifically highlighted the absence of migration risks posed by Kazakhstan to the EU.
In response, Johansson stated that the Union is committed to enhancing interactions between the citizens of both parties. She emphasized that maintaining a regular cultural and humanitarian exchange is an important indicator of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the EU.
Earlier this year, Kazakhstan has been added to the list of countries whose citizens will be required to pass additional consultations for the issuance of the Schengen visa.