Kazakhstan & EU Agree to Officially Launch Talks on Schengen Visa Facilitation

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Kazakhstan and the EU have reached an agreement to launch talks on the facilitation of the Schengen visa application process.
• Kazakhstan expects to reach an agreement on simpler visa application rules soon.
• The country is willing to cooperate in the readmission of its citizens staying in the EU irregularly.

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Roman Vassilenko, has announced that the country has reached an agreement with the European Union to launch formal talks on Schengen visa facilitation officially.

According to Vassilenko, Kazakhstan and the EU are currently in the process of consultations. The same stressed that they expect to reach an agreement on simpler visa rules soon.

I’m glad to say that formal talks have now been launched. We are now in the process of consultations with the European Union and Member States.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko

As Kazinform explains, during an interview for New Time, Vassilenko said that they will discuss with the EU and the Schengen Member States the extent to which visa rules could be facilitated for citizens of Kazakhstan.

In addition to the above-mentioned, Vassilenko said that this is just one of the many steps towards visa facilitation. He stressed that the country will cooperate in the readmission of its citizens who entered the EU irregularly.

Vassilenko further said that the authorities can not provide a definitive timeframe for the process. However, he highlighted that whenever an agreement is reached, it will be easier for citizens of Kazakhstan to travel to the bloc.

Vassilenko also reminded that Kazakhstan has been permitting visa-free entry for all citizens of the EU since 2017. He also said that Kazakhstan is not requiring the EU to permit visa-free travel for its citizens. He said that, for now, they only want facilitated application procedures.

Earlier in October, the Council of the EU confirmed that they are committed to deepening as well as widening their cooperation with Kazakhstan.

Moreover, the Council also expressed firm support for the reform and modernisation of Kazakhstan.

Sharing information on the reforms that the country has made so far, the Internal Affairs Minister of Kazakhstan, Yerzhan Sadenov, said that the EU should not be worried about any migration risk if the EU facilitates the visa application rules for citizens of the country.

Additionally, back then, Minister Sadenov said that the country had already identified some Schengen visa application requirements that could be simplified.

Just like citizens of other countries who need a visa to enter the Schengen Area, Kazakhstan citizens also need to submit several documents.

They need to submit the completed visa application form, proof of having purchased travel health insurance, and proof of having booked a place to stay, among many others.