Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan Extend Bilateral Visa-Free Stays

A meeting of the Turkic Council in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan in September 2018.

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have signed an accord to prolong visa-free stays for their citizens in the two countries from 30 days to 90 days.

The agreement was signed at a meeting of the countries' foreign ministers held on the sidelines of a two-day summit of the Council of Cooperation of Turkic-Speaking Countries, also known as the Turkic Council, that started in Baku on October 14.

According to the agreement, travelers will not need to register when they stay in the other country for up to 30 days.They still will have to register with local officials for stays between 30 and 90 days, though they will not need a visa.

The Turkic Council was established in October 2009 with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey as the group's founding members. Uzbekistan applied for membership in the group in September.

At the Turkic Council's summit in Kyrgyzstan in September last year, Hungary joined the group as an observer.

Based on reporting by Kazinform and TASS