Bakhaidir Buakhanovich Khasanbaev, head of the Uzbek Ethnocultural Association in the Merke District of the Zhambyl Region of Kazakhstan, shared with VB.KG the situation related to the incorrect application of the rules governing the stay of citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Kyrgyz Republic. These rules came into effect on September 1, 2025. He noted that he receives numerous complaints from compatriots and urged responsible institutions such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Border Service, the State National Security Committee, the Government, and the Jogorku Kenesh to pay attention to the emerging problems, as the method of calculating the duration of stay causes discrepancies: the data from the automated system and manual calculations do not match, which negatively affects the lives of people and entrepreneurs.
According to official information from the Border Service of the State National Security Committee of Kyrgyzstan, updated rules for citizens of Kazakhstan came into effect on September 1, 2025, as stipulated by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 541 dated October 10, 2023. According to the new rules, Kazakh citizens can stay in Kyrgyzstan for no more than 90 days within a 180-day period, with the counting starting from the date of the first entry.
Although the changes were adopted in 2023, their actual implementation is scheduled for September 1, 2025, which has been repeatedly confirmed by border authorities. However, starting from December 2025, cases of refusal of entry to citizens of Kazakhstan began to be recorded at some checkpoints for reasons not corresponding to the current regulations. For example, at the "Chaldovar - road" checkpoint, border guards began counting the duration of stay from October 10, 2023, rather than from September 1, 2025.
As a result, citizens receive refusal notices stating that their stay allegedly exceeds 200, 300, and even 400 days, which is impossible under the "90/180" rule. Even in the case of the most serious violations, the duration of stay cannot exceed 180 days, indicating errors in the program's algorithm rather than actual violations by individuals.
When manually counted, it turns out that the actual stay of citizens in Kyrgyzstan since September 1, 2025, often amounts to only 15–20 days, which complies with current legislation. The issue has become particularly relevant during the New Year holidays when:
— many residents of border areas have relatives on both sides of the border;
— a large number of citizens of Kazakhstan study at universities in Kyrgyzstan;
— people face the impossibility of crossing the border despite the absence of violations.
The problem is widespread and undermines trust in law enforcement practices. Despite attempts to clarify the situation on the ground, systemic changes have not been made. In this regard, I appeal with a request:
— to draw the attention of the competent authorities of Kyrgyzstan to the existing practice;
— to initiate a verification of the correctness of the software operation;
— to ensure uniform application of the rules;
— to protect the legal rights of citizens of Kazakhstan.
Specific cases described below became possible thanks to the assistance of senior border service officials who conducted manual recounts. However, these are only isolated examples, while hundreds of people cross the border daily, for whom automated calculations are applied without the possibility of operational verification.
Examples of specific cases:
Case 1. Dina Karimzhanova. Received a refusal on December 17, 2025. Actual stay from September 1, 2025, was 45 days. The notice states: 405 days. Dina works at the hospital in the village of Andas Batyr (RK), and her family lives in Kara-Balta (KR). Due to the error, she struggled for a long time to return home to her children. Only thanks to public intervention and manual recount was she allowed to pass.
Case 2. Furhatjan Ruzaev. Refusal on December 13, 2025. Actual stay — 13 days. The notice states: 201 days. The citizen was unable to visit his elderly parents in KR during the holidays.
Case 3. Karima Karimova. Refusal on December 16, 2025. Actual stay — 5 days. The notice states: 99 days. Instead of explanations, the woman faced threats of deportation. It later turned out that she had not violated any rules.
Case 4. Zarina Janabatyrova. Refusal on December 14, 2025. Actual stay — 15 days. The notice states: 108 days. She also could not visit her relatives in time.
Case 5. Davran Mirsalimov. Student at MUIT (Bishkek). At the time of crossing the border, he had 96 days of stay (including studies), but was not informed about the new rules. As a result, he missed his session and could not return to continue his studies.
We draw attention to this situation as it directly affects the lives and well-being of people.
From the editorial office: Indeed, manual and computer calculations show different results. There is likely an error in the program's algorithm. These discrepancies cause concern for families across the border who cannot meet with their loved ones. We hope that the competent authorities will quickly resolve the situation, as friendly relations between our countries are based on human connections.
