Kazakhstan is the world’s ninth largest country in terms of landmass. Thanks to this fact, it has beautiful natural reserves which tourists will definitely enjoy. Previously, it is difficult to visit the country because of its visa requirements. But, tourists will now be able to go to the country easier thanks to the new government campaign.

On Monday, July 22, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan announced that the government has established a new visa-free regime. This new regime involves 61 countries. According to the press service of the ministry’s Migration Service Committee, this is the government’s way to attract foreign investment and business to the country.

Kazakhstan’s New Visa-Free Regime

In the announcement, the ministry said that the visa-free regime for 45 of the 61 countries will be good for 30 days. This will also guarantee that citizens do not have to register with the migration service during their stay.

Under the “On Migration of the Population” law, foreigners need to issue registration with the migration service within 5 days after entering the country. To register, the foreigners can register at key entry points in the country.

Prior to the announcement, tourism is not a major player in the country’s economy. In one article written by The Guardian in 2014, many key destinations are underdeveloped. There are also comments about the prices being high, unreliable infrastructure and lack of transportation options. Kazakhs themselves tour outside the country because of these same reasons.

The report also said: “Bilateral visa-free agreements have been concluded with 19 countries. Among them, up to 90 days without the need to register with the migration service bodies – with 8 countries (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia and Ukraine), up to 30 days – with 10 countries (Azerbaijan, Argentina, Brazil, South Korea , Cuba, UAE, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey and Ecuador).”

How to Get to Kazakhstan

Asian and Middle Eastern tourists can take direct flights to Kazakhstan through major and low-cost airline carriers. Meanwhile, American and European tourists will have to take connecting flights to get to the country. Only Russia, Latvia and Germany have direct flights to Kazakhstan.

Travelers from Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan can drive to their shared borders to get to the country.

Want to learn more about Kazakhstan before your next visit? You can check out the official tourism website of Kazakhstan or the website of the Committee of Tourism Industry for ideas.

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South Africa is one of the most popular destinations in Africa. It is teaming with wildlife and destinations that you will not find anywhere else. Exotic food and drinks are also a plenty when you visit, some are even surprising to find out. Tourists would also fall in love with South Africa’s prices and tourist infrastructure. However, not everyone can visit due to the existing visa policy.

On Wednesday, South Africa announced that citizens from 7 countries will be able to visit the country without a visa. These seven countries are as follows: United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Qatar, Cuba, Ghana, Saudi Arabia and Sao Tome and Principe.

The Newest Tourism Move

In the statement released, Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi said that tourism will flourish if the country relaxes its visa requirements. He adds that tourism will be able to open new jobs for the people.

With the inclusion of the 7 nations in its visa-free roster, the minister said he will be working with these countries. He hopes to see how a visa-free agreement could be reached. Qatar and Ghana already have visa-free agreements with South Africa. Currently, South African nationals can visit 99 countries visa-free according to the 2019 Henley Passport Index.

His office will also be working on improving visa processing rates for China, India and Nigeria. He said that they will double the staff to meet the demand.

The country also announced that they will be launching its new eVisa system in November. According to Home Affairs deputy minister Njabulo Nzuza, it will make it easier for tourists to enter the country.

With the new system, visitors can apply for South African visa online. The applications will be forwarded to a central adjudication and approval office. All the visitor has to do is wait for the approval at home.

It is also the hope of the country that the eVisa system will make the country an ideal place to visit. It is also expected to help increase tourism in the country.

How to Go to South Africa?

Europeans who wish to travel to South Africa can take direct flights to South Africa’s international airports. Asian tourists can fly to South Africa from connecting flights from Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Hong Kong and Doha. North and South American travelers will have to take connecting flights from Europe to reach the country.

If you plan to visit South Africa, South Africa’s Official Tourism Site is a great place to get ideas.

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European passports are often noted to be travel-friendly. It allows access to other Schengen countries without prior visa. Despite this fact, not all European passports offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to European travelers.

On Monday, Germany and Finland were cited as the most powerful EU passports in the latest Henley Passport Index. Both countries offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 187 countries worldwide.

Brief Rundown of the 2019 Henley Passport Index

The latest rankings reveal that Germany, Finland and South Korea share the third spot for the most powerful passports in the world. Finland, in particular, benefited from Pakistan’s visa revisions thus its current ranking. Previously, Pakistan has been restrictive when it comes to visa-free access.

Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg follow these two European countries in the ranking. All three offer visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to 186 countries. France, Sweden and Spain share the fourth spot with 185 countries on visa-free/visa-on-arrival access. The other European countries in the list are as follows:

5. Australia, Portugal, Switzerland, Netherlands (184)
6. Belgium, Greece, Norway, Ireland (183)
7. Malta (182)
8. Czech Republic (181)
9. Iceland, Lithuania (180)
10. Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (179)

Leading the most powerful passport rankings are Japan and Singapore. According to the Index, their passports allow access to 189 countries. At the bottom of the Index is Afghanistan, with only 25 destinations open for visa-free access. The UAE is also in the top 20 for the first time since the Index was introduced. In five years, the country had doubled the countries its passport can access without prior visa.

The Henley Passport Index checks 199 passports and 227 travel destinations to determine its rankings. It also use the International Air Transport Authority data for its rankings. The report is updated in real time and when countries release a new visa policy.

This year’s rankings, according to Henley & Partners’ chairman Dr. Christian Kaelin, reveals why visa-openness is now a popular policy. He stresses that it is now a key for economic and social progress.

How to Travel to Germany and Finland?

It is not very difficult to travel to Germany and Finland. All major airlines have direct flights to its major airports. Aside from air travel, European countries can also travel to these countries easily through the EuroRail.

If you need ideas when traveling to Germany, you can check out our guide on where to stay in Dusseldorf or the German National Tourist Board site. For those migrating to Germany, you can check out our articles on the cost of living in Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt and Munich.

If you are traveling to Finland, you can visit the Visit Finland website for some ideas. If you are moving to the country, we have an article on the average salary in Helsinki.

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Passports allow people to travel to other parts of the globe. It serves as their “visa” to these countries, as well as their proof of identification. However, while passports are offered by all countries to their citizens, not all of them could be used to travel to certain countries. But, which ones can let you travel anywhere you want to visit?

On Monday, the 2019 Henley Passport Index reveals that Japan and Singapore are the most powerful passports in the world. The Index reviews the performance of each passport in terms of how much countries it can access. It also uses data from the International Air Transport Authority and updates in real-time. It also considers visa policy updates when it makes its list.

Which Passports are Travel Friendly and Why?

According to the Index, both Japan and Singapore’s passports topped the list as it offers access to 189 countries. South Korea, which was last year’s leader, is now tied with Germany and Finland. All three countries allow access to 187 countries for their citizens without the need for a visa.

Following these three countries are Denmark, Luxembourg and Italy. The passports will grant access or visa-on-arrival to 186 countries. In fourth place are France, Sweden and Spain with access to 185 countries.

Previously, the United States and the United Kingdom topped the list. However, they are now at sixth place with Brexit causing UK’s position in the list in peril.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates is rising in the ranks as they are now in the top 20. It had doubled the number of countries they can access without a prior visa. At the end of the list, Afghanistan is at the bottom with only 25 destinations open for access without prior visa.

According to the Chairman of Henley and Partners Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, the latest rankings reflect that countries are now seeing visa-openness as an important part to economic and social progress.

How to Get to Japan and Singapore?

If your passport allows you to travel to Japan or Singapore without the need of a visa, going to these countries is easy. All major airlines around the globe offer direct flights to these countries.

If you are looking for ideas, we have several articles in the site. You can check out our guides on where to stay in Tokyo, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Shizuoka and Kyoto. You can also check out the minimum salary in Tokyo if you plan to move to the country.

We also have articles on where to stay in Singapore. If you plan to move to the country, we also have a guide on how much is the salary in the country and how much is the rent in the country.

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