Kazakhstan drivers in international road transport will temporarily not be subject to the 90-day stay rule in Russia, introduced after amendments to Russian law. This was announced by Mazhilis deputy Bolatbek Aliyev, stating that the decision was the result of urgent negotiations between the governments of the two countries.
Earlier on his Facebook page, Aliyev reported that dozens of Kazakh carriers had faced serious problems due to new visa restrictions, and some drivers had even ended up in temporary detention centres.
According to Russian legislation, which came into force in August, foreign citizens arriving without a visa can stay in Russia for no more than 90 days within a year.
According to the deputy, this rule did not take into account the specifics of international transport, meaning Kazakh drivers on work trips were classified as violators. Furthermore, the time spent in Belarus was also added to the stay in Russia, further complicating the situation.
After appeals from carriers, Aliyev sent an official letter to Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin, and also informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the need for an urgent response.
A few days later, the Mazhilis member stated that, thanks to the joint work of the government and parliament, an agreement had been reached with the Russian side.
"Our government contacted their counterparts in the Russian Federation through operational channels, and last night a decision was made not to apply the new migration restrictions to drivers carrying out international freight and passenger transport," wrote Aliyev.
Thus, Kazakh carriers have been temporarily exempted from the "90-day stay" rule, which will allow them to maintain access to routes through Russia and Belarus and avoid mass fines and deportations.
Aliyev noted that the decision is temporary, and work to formalise the agreements legally will continue at the intergovernmental level.