Kyrgyzstan border permit
Some areas of Kyrgyzstan along the borders with China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are border zones, and you need a special border permit to visit them – even shepherds and residents of the border villages need permission. Many of the most beautiful places in Kyrgyzstan lie in these zones, and to reach them you pass military checkpoints where the permit is checked. Our processing time is 10 working days (Kyrgyz public holidays not included), so apply at least two weeks before your trip; a faster service is possible for an extra fee. You don’t need exact dates, as the permit is valid for a month.
Order your permit from us
- Price: 45 USD, all border zones on one permit.
- Time: 10 working days; a faster service is possible for an extra fee.
- You send: a scan of your passport’s main page, your dates and the places you will visit.
- You get: your permit, ready to print – carry several copies and your passport.
Which places need a border permit?
Permit needed:
- Issyk-Kul region: the Karkyra valley, Enilchek and the Inylchek glacier, the Khan Tengri and Pobeda base camps, Merzbacher Lake, the Sary-Jaz range, Sarychat-Ertash and Ak-Shyirak.
- Naryn region: Kel-Suu (Kok-Kiya valley), the Ak-Sai and Arpa valleys and Chatyr-Kul.
- Osh region: the Lenin Peak base camp, and according to 2026 reports also Tulpar-Kul lake and Altyn-Mazar.
- Chui region: the eastern Chon-Kemin valley, where a 2 km wide border strip runs from Kantbastau to the Korumbash pass.
- Batken region: Leilek district (including the Karavshin climbing area), Kadamjay and Batken districts.
No permit needed: Song-Kul, Karakol, Altyn-Arashan, Ala-Archa, Tash-Rabat and Sary-Chelek (park fee only), and the main roads to the Irkeshtam and Kyzyl-Art border crossings. For the Torugart crossing to China, ask us: in practice the rules vary.
Our 8-day Kyrgyzstan Mountain Lake Tour with Kel-Suu includes the permit. See also the official full list of border areas (in Russian).
How long it takes and how long it is valid
Officially the border service issues a permit within 2 working days if you apply at least 3 working days before entry, but our processing time is 10 working days, so apply as soon as your dates are fixed. The permit is valid for a month (two months for an extra fee), and one permit can cover all the border zones you visit – we usually include every zone, just in case. Your permit must be valid for your whole stay in the zone, as it is checked again when you leave, and it can be used for several zones and several entries.
Order a Kyrgyz border permit
Please inform us of your travel dates and apply accordingly through the form below. The permit will include all the border regions in Kyrgyzstan.
Required documents: photocopy of your passport’s main page
Price: 45 USD (All border regions included*)
Border permit processing time: 10 working days (please ask for the possibility for a faster processing with extra fee if necessary). Please note that the 10 days does not include Kyrgyz national holidays which can increase the time required for the processing of permit.
At the checkpoint
Every border zone is entered through a checkpoint guarded by the Kyrgyz military. Carry your passport (the original, with the same number as on the permit) and several printed copies of the permit. Permits can’t be bought at the checkpoint, and travellers without one are turned back.
Other permits that are not the border permit
- Climbing permits for peaks such as Khan Tengri and Lenin Peak.
- Nature reserve and national park fees, for example at Sary-Chelek.
- Tajikistan’s GBAO permit for the Pamirs, which you get with the Tajik e-visa; see our Pamir guide.
2026 update: online permits
In September 2026 the government announced an online service, Tunduk Travel, for border permits with a QR code. Until it is in use, we apply for your permit for you.
Border permit FAQ
Can I get a permit on arrival?
No. Permits are not sold at the checkpoints, so apply in advance – with us, at least 10 working days before you need it.
Do children need one?
Children under 16 are included on the permit of the adult travelling with them.
Can I change my dates?
The permit is valid for a month (two months for an extra fee), so small changes within that period are no problem; for bigger changes, ask us.
Does my driver need one?
Yes: Kyrgyz citizens also need permission to enter a border zone, so make sure your driver has it.
Kyrgyzstan destinations that require border permit
Written by Anssi Karppinen, Central Asia Guide · Page updated