Visa in Bishkek and flights

Dear All,

I really have spent some time reading all your messages but just wanted to get some more info. We (I and my girlfriend) will be flying into Bishkek, transit to Tashkent via Kazakhstan and fly out of Tashkent to Kashgar. We are Italian and German...

1. Can we get transit visa for Kazakhstan at the border showing our flight out from Tashkent in 2 weeks time?

2. Can we get Uzbek visa in Bishkek without knowing/speaking Russian and being normal Europeans just speaking English?? and if we leave the passports at the Embassy can we freely wonder through Kyrgistan for a week?

3. I assume we don't need LOI for any visa... the agency in Milan is asking €80 just for the letter !!!

4. Are flights with Uzbek Airways safe? better than Northern China ones? (the girl is a bit sceptical on this, but flying would save us so much time!!!)

5. If #1 is false will it be cheaper to buy the tickets for Kashgar in Tashkent ? Are they usually booked out?

Ciao

1. Can we get transit visa for Kazakhstan at the border showing our flight out from Tashkent in 2 weeks time?
   
   Yes you can but they wouldn't be interested to see the tickets mentioned by you, you must have in your passports visas of anyone of neighboring with Kazakhstan countries (Kyrgyz, Uzb, Turkmen, China, Russia) which ones would be valid on the day of your arrival in Kazakhstan = you must obtain at least one of them in advance. At least Kyrgyz visa. In your case it is possible to obtain so called Tourist Group Visa (per two persons it would cost about 135 Euros - Kyrgyz MFA visa fees are included) before your arrival in Kazakhstan.
   
   Kyrgyz Group Visa
   
   2. Can we get Uzbek visa in Bishkek without knowing/speaking Russian and being normal Europeans just speaking English?? and if we leave the passports at the Embassy can we freely wonder through Kyrgistan for a week?
   
   Uzbek diplomats in Bishkek are not normal, on't worry, they can speak Uzbek, Russian and ... English.
   
   To have with you Xerox copies of your passports and Kyrgyz visa would be enough unless you are intending to enter any closed for strangers areas of the country (Border Zone etc).
   
   3. I assume we don't need LOI for any visa... the agency in Milan is asking €80 just for the letter !!!
   
   Milano is an expensive place ... I thought that they charge even more there for such things.
   
   You DO NEED LOI for Uzbekistan. Issuing it through CAsian agents costs about 30-40 USD per person and takes one week min / two weeks max.
   
   4. Are flights with Uzbek Airways safe? better than Northern China ones? (the girl is a bit sceptical on this, but flying would save us so much time!!!)
   
   So far I've heard about only one aircrash of an UHY airplane since 1991. It was an internal flight with very old model - Yak 40 jet.
   
   Condolences
   
   From this point of view UHY is not looking like a really dangerous company for me.
   
   5. If #1 is false will it be cheaper to buy the tickets for Kashgar in Tashkent ? Are they usually booked out?
   
   I couldn't find any direct flight from Tashkent to Kashggar.
   
   International Airport Tashkent
   
   If there are no direct flights then you can fly to Kashgar from Tashkent via Almaty and Urumqi. Even I can book it in Almaty over phone.

Thanks Marat, very valuable information.

with regard to question #2. the uzbek embassy in bishkek is a real pain. you must get a russian speaker to ring the day before to get your names on the list to get into the embassy. you must have a russian speaker with you when you go into the embassy the next day or they will just kick you out. i would advise making two copies of your passport (with kyrgyz visa on the same page) ,one for the embassy and one to keep (make sure the embassy writes on your copy that the passport is with them). the visa takes about 3days. you must make sure you have your LOI with you if your countries need them - most do. getting a LOI in bishkek will take up to 10days............................good luck