Meduza in EnglishAfter Putin announced mobilization in September, hundreds of thousands of Russians fled to Kazakhstan. Many remained there, taking advantage of lax policies that let them live there indefinitely by making regular “visa runs.” Now that’s no longer possible.
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2023/01/27/the-end-of-the-visa-run
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2023/01/27/the-end-of-the-visa-run
The end of the ‘visa run’ Kazakhstan is changing its immigration rules, complicating life for Russians who fled mobilization — Meduza
In September 2022, after Vladimir Putin announced mobilization in Russia, 406,000 Russians crossed into Kazakhstan. So far, it’s been easy for those who have stayed to avoid trouble with immigration authorities: under Kazakh law, Russian citizens have effectively been allowed to reside in the country visa-free indefinitely by crossing the state border, even if only for a few minutes, at least once every 90 days. On December 31, however, the Kazakh government tightened its visa rules, outlawing these “visa runs” beginning on January 27, 2023. Meduza explains how this change is likely to affect Russians who fled mobilization.