Travel Insurance Direct

Summary

• We advise you to reconsider your need to travel in the Kyrgyz Republic because of the volatile and unpredictable security situation, especially in the south of the country. There is also a risk of terrorist attack, and high levels of serious crime.

• The security situation remains fluid and subject to change at short notice, there is potential for violence. If you do decide to travel to the Kyrgyz Republic, you should exercise extreme caution.

• You should avoid demonstrations, street rallies and public gatherings as they may turn violent.

• We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to the Kyrgyz-Uzbek and Kyrgyz-Tajik border areas (in the south and south-west) and the Ferghana Valley. The security situation there is volatile and there are frequent incidents of violent crime, varying levels of civil unrest and reports of terrorist activity. The affected area includes the cities of Osh, Jalalabad and Batken. Landmines are also a risk in uncontrolled border areas.

• Pay close attention to your security at all times and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.

• Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Australian Embassy in Russia provides consular assistance to Australians in the Kyrgyz Republic.

• Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas:

  • organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy

  • register your travel and contact details, so we can contact you in an emergency

  • subscribe to this travel advice to receive free email updates each time it's reissued.

Entry and exit

Visas are required for the Kyrgyz Republic. Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic for the most up-to-date information.

You must register with local authorities in each location you visit for three days or more. This will be done by your hotel on arrival or by your private host through their local Passports and Visa Office (OVIR or UVIR).

Routine and strict border controls apply on the road between Bishkek and Almaty (Kazakhstan).

Restrictions at border crossings and airports can change at very short notice. We encourage you to have your own contingency plan for independent departure if the situation warrants. You should ensure that your documentation remains up-to-date. Valid passports and visas are essential should there be a need to depart Kyrgyz Republic.

Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.

Safety and security

Terrorism

Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.

We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to the Kyrgyz Republic because of the volatile and unpredictable security situation. We also advise you of the risk of terrorist attack, and high levels of serious crime. Pay close attention to your security at all times and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.

The security environment is particularly volatile in the south and south-west, including in the cities of Osh, Jalalabad and Batken, where there have been clashes between security forces and militant and criminal groups. If you are considering travel to the south, you are advised to read this advice in conjunction with the travel advice for Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

In planning your activities, consider the kind of places known to be terrorist targets and the level of security provided. Possible targets include commercial and public areas frequented by foreigners, such as hotels, foreign government buildings, clubs, restaurants, bars, schools, businesses, government offices, marketplaces, places of worship, outdoor recreation events, transport hubs and tourist areas.

Civil unrest/Political tension

The political situation remains fluid and there is potential for politically-motivated or related violence, including in Bishkek.

You should avoid demonstrations, street rallies and public gatherings as such events may turn violent.

Australians could be caught up in violence directed at others.

Australians remaining in the Kyrgyz Republic should be particularly vigilant, monitor the media and other local sources of information about possible new safety or security risks and avoid unnecessary movement.

Southern Kyrgyz Republic, including the border regions with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and the Fergana Valley: We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to the Kyrgyz-Uzbek and Kyrgyz-Tajik border areas (in the south and south-west) and the Fergana Valley due to the volatile and unpredictable security situation.

If you are considering travel to the south, you are advised to read this advice in conjunction with the travel advice for Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Security forces from all three countries monitor the border region. They randomly but frequently conduct operations in the border regions.

Violent clashes in the cities of Osh and Jalalabad in June 2010, which saw several hundred people killed and up to 300,000 displaced, have subsided. There are ongoing problems, including in relation to the destruction of infrastructure and the capacity of local security forces to deal with further outbreaks of violence.

Crime

Crime, including violent crime, is high and foreigners are particularly at risk. Kidnapping, robbery, mugging and pickpocketing have occurred, including near hotels, public transport and in other crowded places, especially where expatriates are known to gather. The risk of crime increases at night.

There is potential for foreigners to get caught up in violent clashes between criminal groups.

Thieves posing as off duty police, uniformed police or unsolicited 'meet and greet' drivers at airports have robbed travellers.

Money and valuables

Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work overseas. The Kyrgyz economy is primarily cash-based and US dollars are widely used. Travellers' cheques and credit cards are accepted only in some major hotels.

Import and export of currency up to the same amount is allowed, but customs declarations must be completed on arrival and departure.

Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.

While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.

As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.

You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.

Local travel

Road conditions and driving standards are poor. Roads can be particularly hazardous in winter and at night. For further advice, see our bulletin on Overseas Road Safety.

Access to service stations can be limited in rural areas. The road between Bishkek and Almaty (Kazakhstan) is especially treacherous.

Local buses, mini-buses and taxis are often poorly maintained.

Landmines are a risk in the uncontrolled Kyrgyz-Uzbek border areas, as well as Kyrgyz-Tajik border areas. Landmines have also been found in the Batken Oblast near the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.

Airline safety

Airline and air charter safety and maintenance standards vary throughout the world. It is not known whether maintenance procedures and safety standards on aircraft used on internal flights are always properly observed or whether passengers are covered by airline insurance.

For further information, please refer to our Aviation Safety and Security travel bulletin.

Laws

When you are in the Kyrgyz Republic, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.

You are required to carry your passport, or a copy, at all times. Identification checks by police are common.

Possession and use of drugs is illegal and severe penalties apply, including long jail sentences and heavy fines.

There is a policy of zero tolerance for drink driving (i.e. driving with a blood alcohol level greater than zero is an offence).

Homosexuality between adults is not illegal, but is not widely accepted in Kyrgyz society. You should take care over public displays of affection.

Taking photographs of or near military and security establishments could result in problems with authorities. If in doubt, you should check with local authorities.

Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism, child pornography, and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.

Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism and child pornography laws. These laws provide severe penalties for up to 25 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in child sexual exploitation while outside of Australia.

Local customs

During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking between sunrise and sunset is forbidden for Muslims.

Standards of dress and behaviour are conservative in the Kyrgyz Republic. You should take care not to offend. If in doubt, seek local advice.

Information for dual nationals

The Kyrgyz Republic does not recognise dual nationality. This may limit our ability to provide consular assistance to Australian/Kyrgyz dual nationals who are arrested or detained. We strongly recommend you travel on your Australian passport at all times.

Our Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals.

Health

We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.

Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our Travelling Well brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.

Medical facilities in the capital Bishkek are limited and medical equipment and pharmaceuticals are in short supply. In remote areas the standard of medical services is very basic. In the event of a serious illness or accident, medical evacuation to a destination with the appropriate facilities would be necessary. Medical evacuation costs could be considerable.

Malaria is endemic in the southern and western parts of the country bordering Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, particularly in Batken, Osh and Zhele-Abdskaya provinces. Other insect-borne diseases occur (including tick-borne encephalitis and leishmaniasis). Travel in forested areas brings the risk of exposure to tick-borne encephalitis. Ticks are very common from spring to autumn. We recommend you take prophylaxis against malaria where necessary, take precautions against being bitten by insects and use insect repellent at all times.

Water-borne, food-borne and other infectious diseases (including typhoid, hepatitis, meningitis, tuberculosis, brucellosis and rabies) are prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before travelling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water. Avoid ice cubes, unpasteurised dairy products, and raw and undercooked food. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For more information see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.

Where to get help

Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in the Kyrgyz Republic. You can obtain consular assistance from the nearest Australian Embassy which is in Russia:

Australian Embassy, Moscow

If you are travelling to the Kyrgyz Republic, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register on-line or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.

In a consular emergency, if you are unable to contact the Embassy you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.

In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.

Additional information

Natural Disasters, Severe Weather and Climate

The Kyrgyz Republic is subject to earthquakes. On 27 April 2009, an earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale occurred in Osh City.

Avalanches and landslides are common in mountainous areas. On 16 April 2009, a landslide in Roykomol village in South Krygyz Republic killed 16 people.

During the winter months a number of people have been killed in snow-related accidents in recent years including motor vehicles accidents, avalanches, snow falling from roofs and prolonged exposure to extreme cold.

Information on natural disasters can be obtained from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service. If a natural disaster occurs, you should monitor the local information sources and follow the advice of local authorities.

Wildlife

Australians are advised to respect wildlife laws and to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.

For parents

For general information and tips on travelling with children see our Travelling with Children brochure.

Children travelling alone or with one parent/guardian will require a letter of consent for travel signed by both parents.

If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities in the Kyrgyz Republic we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments.

Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.