Visa and migration issues were discussed at the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs

The moderator of the round table was the deputy chairman of NCE RK "Atameken" Yuliya Yakupbaeva. The event was attended by the associations, major players in the tourism industry, as well as representatives of the National Security Committee, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry for Investment and Development of Kazakhstan.

The proposals of the Committee of the tourism industry of NCE RK were presented at the meeting. So, NCE considers that it necessary to introduce an online system for the submission of documents for visas for foreign tourists; to introduce 72-hour visa-free visits for transit visitors, to include Denmark, Poland and Austria in the list of visa-free countries; to adopt for good the temporary measures on exemption of the additional registration of passports for citizens of 48 countries; to introduce a payment of a fine without holding a court session at the border crossing (airports, train stations) through the establishment of appropriate equipment; to cancel the arrests as a measure of administrative penalty in respect of foreigners who have violated the rules of registration of passports, transit rules or regulations on changing place of residence without registration in the police, to introduce a fine without holding a court session; and to introduce e-filing system by scanning of biometric data (Malaysian experience). All sounded proposals will be submitted to the Ministry for Investment and Development of Kazakhstan.

The main issue that was raised during the round table by the participants - were measures that are used towards tourists, who have delayed registration deadlines established in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Currently there are many cases when tourists violate stay rules for a short time, as a result they are taken of the flight and brought before the court of the RK, which appoints a fine or an administrative arrest. These measures entail the negative perception of the image of tourism in Kazakhstan.

Representatives of the business community and the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs wondered whether there is another country with such practice, when the tourists have to appear before court for late registration.

In many countries, a tourist who has violated legislation on length of stay in the country, pays the penalty on the spot, for example, at the airport. "If a person has lived in China for more than 30 days and leaves on the 35th day, he pays the fine at the border. Each day of delay costs 500 yuan. He immediately writes a check, pays and departs. No courts, no discomfort", - gave an example the representative of the travel company "Samal Tour" Sanuar Akhmetov.

The President of the Association of Tourist Agencies of Kazakhstan Assel Nurkebaeva said: "In the Schengen area there is a time corridor that allows tourists, such as a flight delay, to fly home freely. This is certainly an advantage for the tourists".

The representative of the Migration Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan Askar Aldangarov reported about cases when a tourist may still avoid a severe punishment: "In 2015 came into force the Code of Administrative Offences, which provides for warning in connection with minor offenses. For example, if a foreigner has delayed the registration of up to 3 days, he will be warned. Secondly, if the offender pleads guilty, a decision is made at the spot. That is, this issue can be solved at the border", - he said.

Talgat Sarsenbayev from the technical unit of the CNS, in turn, commented on the situation with visa migration portal "Berkut". "In 2013, was created visa migration portal for registration of foreigners for a temporary stay. In 2015, the National Certification Center of RK changed the format of the electronic signature. We have prepared the terms of reference, announced a tender to introduce changes in the software. But the tender was delayed, and the company, which won the tender, refused to conduct the work, because time was running out. Now there is a situation that those who work with the new format of electronic signature, can’t register the tourists through the portal. It is now corrected", - he said.

According to Sarsenbayev, online submission of documents for a visa is a part of the plans on improvement of the "Berkut" system. "Now the visa immigration portal provides the ability to fill in a visa application. A foreigner can fill it out and bring to the Embassy of Kazakhstan abroad. Before crossing the border, he has an opportunity to fill in a migration card", - he said.

Yuliya Yakupbaeva noted that it is necessary to accelerate the implementation of these plans. "We can appeal to the relevant state authorities, to ask for financing or anything else. How can we support you in order to speed up the solution? The following year, EXPO will be held, we are working actively on the development of domestic tourism potential", - she said.

In addition, during the round table was discussed the issue of registration of tourists in a certain city, due to which tourists have to register in each region of Kazakhstan again. It was proposed to amend the legislation, in terms of changing the dates of stay of foreigners in Kazakhstan, the wording of the "5 days" to "5 working days" as very often due to the holidays or weekends tourists overstay.

The representative of the tourist company asked the question: how can foreign tourists come to Kazakhstan and to cross the state border on their own vehicles. He cited a recent example from his own experience, when Chinese tourists could not pass through the border, and they were forced to go back, and they did not visit Kazakhstan.