Exploring Visa Liberalization Opportunities for SCO Countries
Shanghai Cooperation Organization Countries Consider Visa Regime Liberalization
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states are currently exploring the possibilities of easing the visa requirements between each other, as reported by the organization’s Secretary General, Nurlan Yermekbayev.
Yermekbayev emphasized the significance of cooperation in the tourism sector, stating that it is a crucial aspect of their work. Efforts are being made in line with the agreement between the governments of SCO states for enhancing collaboration in tourism.
Annual meetings of tourism administrations are held, during which a joint action plan for 2024-2025 was recently adopted in Almaty. One of the key points of this plan involves the examination of visa liberalization by SCO member states.
The Secretary General clarified that discussions are centered around visa liberalization rather than implementing a visa-free regime for all SCO member states. Currently, visa-free arrangements are primarily established on a bilateral basis.
Yermekbayev highlighted existing visa-free travel agreements within the SCO, such as the impending Russia-India agreement set to come into effect on April 1, 2025. Additionally, Iran has recently lifted visa requirements for citizens of 28 countries, including some SCO nations.
Moreover, visa-free travel agreements are already operational between nations like China and Kazakhstan. Recent developments include a visa-free regime between Kazakhstan and the Macau Special Administrative Region, as well as agreements between China and Uzbekistan, and China and Belarus.
Overall, the ongoing discussions within the SCO reflect a shared commitment to enhancing tourism cooperation and simplifying travel processes among member states.
