Thursday 07 / November / 2024
Astana: Under the directive of the President of Kazakhstan KK Tokayev, a new visa type, the Neo Nomad, has been introduced. This visa targets so-called 'modern nomads' -- foreign tourists who combine work with travel.
According to a statement from the Embassy of Kazakhstan, the new visa policy draws on the international experience of more than 50 countries that have successfully implemented similar programmes after the pandemic.
To obtain a Neo-Nomad visa, a foreign citizen must demonstrate a stable income of at least USD 3,000 outside of Kazakhstan. Also, in addition to the basic income requirements, foreign applicants will need to have health insurance and a criminal record certificate.
The visa is aimed at tourists working remotely in various fields, from programming, marketing and finance to consulting, design and e-commerce.
Foreign tourists will be able to stay in Kazakhstan for up to one year while remaining employed by their foreign companies. This will not only allow them to immerse themselves in the culture and life of the country, but will also bring economic benefits to Kazakhstan. It is expected that the economic effect from the introduction of the visa will amount to about 3.6 billion tenge per year if 500 people receive the visa.
Foreigners who take advantage of Neo Nomad will reside and spend in Kazakhstan without taking up jobs in the domestic labour market - which is an important aspect of this programme.
"As a result of the joint work of the Ministries of Tourism and Sports, Foreign Affairs, Interior and a number of other interested government agencies, Kazakhstan is now part of the travel map for modern nomads. They number more than 35 million worldwide, and we aim to establish all necessary conditions to attract them to Kazakhstan. Especially, the cities of Almaty and Astana are already among the top 150 cities attractive for neo-nomads," said Yerbol Myrzabossynov, Minister of Tourism and Sports.
