The agreement was signed on May 4, 2026, in Bishkek, following a meeting between Jeenbek Kulubaev, Kyrgyzstan’s foreign minister, and Barry Faure, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of Seychelles.
According to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agreement provides for the mutual abolition of visa requirements for citizens of both countries for short-term visits.
The signing took place during Barry Faure’s official visit to Kyrgyzstan, held from May 3 to 6, 2026, at the invitation of his Kyrgyz counterpart. Kyrgyz authorities noted that this was the first visit by a Seychellois foreign minister to Kyrgyzstan in the history of bilateral relations between the two countries.
Beyond visa issues, the talks also focused on developing political dialogue, expanding the bilateral legal framework and strengthening economic and humanitarian cooperation. The two sides discussed areas including agriculture, tourism, education, digital governance, sustainable development and climate-related issues.
Visa exemption between Kyrgyzstan and Seychelles: what it means for travelers
At this stage, the implementation date of the agreement has not yet been specified in official communications. Travelers should therefore wait for the publication of the entry-into-force procedures before treating the exemption as applicable.
For Seychellois travelers, the agreement represents a notable practical change, as they currently need to apply for an electronic visa, or e-Visa, to travel to Kyrgyzstan. On the Seychelles foreign ministry’s website, Kyrgyzstan is still listed among the countries for which Seychellois nationals need a visa, suggesting that official lists will need to be updated once the agreement takes effect.
For Kyrgyz travelers, however, the practical impact of the agreement should be viewed with some nuance. Seychelles is already a visa-free country for international visitors, but entry is not free of prior formalities. Like other foreign travelers, Kyrgyz nationals will still need to obtain an electronic travel authorization, or ETA, before departure through the Seychelles Electronic Border System. The agreement signed with Bishkek therefore confirms visa-free access for short stays, but it does not exempt travelers from this mandatory electronic authorization.
