There are quite a few expats living in Bishkek, the capital city. Most expats work for NGOs or in the mining or development sectors. There is also a high demand for teachers in this central Asian country. Expats should be prepared for a very unique experience in Kyrgyzstan.
- Expat Clubs
- Schools
- Local News Sources
- Country Information
- Resident and Work visa information
- How to get a driving license
- Where to live and about the accomodation types
- Healthcare information including Hospitals and Insurance
Expat Clubs
Bishkek International Women's Club
Bishkek International Women's Club (BIWC) is a non-profit organization with the purpose to be a social and support network for expatriate women in Kyrgyzstan to meet, share information and advice, and to help each other settle in, enjoy and make the most of their time in Kyrgyzstan. Through social and cultural activities, BIWC provides a forum for its expat members to get together and be active participants in the community.
Website: biwc.webs.com
Trekking Union of Kyrgyzstan
The main objective of the union is promotion of the adventure tourism, trekking and active vacation in the mountains among local people. The main target group is the youth. The emphasis is to impart the protective and respectful attitude to the nature and to encourage active outdoor sports and healthy life style.
Website: www.tuk.kg
Here’s a great blog post advising expats on the different ways in which they can meet other expats in Kyrgyzstan ivorypomegranate.com/2012/07/18/how-to-make-friends-in-kyrgyzstan.
International Schools
Silk Road International School Cambridge
A CSRIS education is a unique passport to success in our rapidly changing world. We focus on the all-around development of our students - an unparalleled education based on worldwide standards of excellence. CSRIS is proud to be the first accredited school with AS and A Level qualifications in Bishkek.
Curriculum: British
Address: 11 microregion, Aytieva 7A, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Phone: +996 312 520290 / 520390
Fax: +996 312 52 04 90
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://sris.edu.kg/
Silk Road International School
A SRIS education is a unique passport to success in our rapidly changing world. We focus on the all-around development of our students - an unparalleled education based on worldwide standards of excellence. SRIS is proud to be recognized as one of the top 5 high schools in Bishkek. Graduation rate is 100%, with alumni studying at acclaimed universities locally and abroad.
Curriculum: British
Address: 11 microregion, Aytieva 7A, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Tel: +996 312 520290 / 520390
Fax: +996 312 52 04 90
Email: [email protected]
Website: sris.edu.kg
QSI
Quality School International of Bishkek, a non-profit institution which opened in September 1994, offers high quality education in the English language for pre-school, elementary, middle and secondary students. An enrollment of approximately 100 students is projected for the 2013-2014 school year, representing about 15 nationalities. This will include students from the diplomatic community, the international business community, and from the local Kyrgyz community.
Address: Bishkek, 14-A Tynystanov str.
Tel: + 996-312-56-31-39; +996-312-56-31-41
Fax: +996-312-56-31-40
E-mail: [email protected]
QSI main homepage: www.qsi.org
Hope Academy of Bishkek
Hope Academy offers comprehensive English-language instruction from hope-academypreschool through 12th grade to the children of expatriate workers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. We are committed to addressing the uniqueness and potential of each child, and encouraging the spiritual, intellectual, social, physical, and emotional growth of our students, instilling an ethical worldview that will equip them for effective service to society.
Curriculum: British
Tel: (+996) 312.29.96.49
Tel: (+996) 555.30.18.61
Email: [email protected]
Website: hopeacademykg.com
International School of Medicine
International School of Medicine (ISM) is an international higher educational institution is a structural unit of IUK created to train medical specialists, conduct medical research in cooperation with leading health centers of the country and countries of Far abroad.
Curriculum: University
Address: Turusbekova 88/1, Bishkek
Tel: (0996 312) 610193
Fax: (0996 312) 613718
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Website: www.ismiuk.com
ESCA
European School in Central Asia is a non profit community school providing excellent international education in a safe, supportive and happy environment. ESCA follows Cambridge International Examinations curriculum and is an official candidate school for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Main language of instruction is English with options of learning Kyrgyz, Russian, French and Mandarin as a foreign language. The school also provides a wide range of after school clubs, including Wushu, Chess, Tennis, Art, Drama, German, and Critical Thinking.
Address: Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, 67 A Bronirovannaya St.
Telephone: +996 312 21 44 06; +996 555 21 44 06
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website: http://www.esca.kg/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_School_in_Central_Asia
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/biskgz; https://www.instagram.com/bis.kg/
Local News in English
The Times Central Asia
Website: www.times.kg
Country Information
Location: Asia
Capital City: Bishkek
Other Important Cities: Osh
Currency: Som
Language: Kyrgzy, Russian
Calling Code: +996
Internet TLD: .kg
Electricity: 220V 50Hz
Emergency Numbers:
Fire: 101
Police: 102
Ambulance: 103
Country Information
en.wikipedia.org
Embassy Information
embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-in/kyrgyzstan
Residents Visa and Work Permit information
To receive a Kyrgyz Visa, the following documents should be applied to the Consular Department of the Plenipotentiary Representation of the MFA in the south of Kyrgyzstan:
Business visa:
- Valid international passport or a document replacing it;
- Written address of state or non-governmental organizations of the Kyrgyz Republic as well as other legal bodies registered in the Kyrgyz Republic;
- Two copies of the visa application form with photographs.
Working visa:
- Valid international passport or a document replacing it;
- Written address of an employer Ц governmental or non-governmental organizations of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyz, foreign or joint public or commercial organizations registered in the Kyrgyz Republic;
- License to hire foreign workers given by the State Agency for Migration and Employment of the Kyrgyz government to the employer;
- Individual work permit of the Kyrgyz Republic, given to a foreign citizen by the State Agency for Migration and Employment.
- In case if the person is employed by a commercial organization, the following additional documents should be submitted:
- Copies of foundation documents Ц foundation agreement and the charter of the organization;
- Copy of the registration certificate of the organization from the Justice Ministry of the Kyrgyz Republic
- Original of a certificate from the Tax Inspection, proving that the organization has no tax debts;
- Three copies of the visa application form with photographs.
Permanent residency visa:
- Valid international passport or a document replacing it;
- Written statement by a foreign citizen, willing to enter the Kyrgyz Republic for permanent residency;
- Permission of the Interior Ministry;
- Three copies of the visa application form with photographs.
For more information on visa application please visit prmfa.narod.ru/english/visa.htm
Accommodation
If your employer is arranging your visas and documentation, they might also be arranging your accommodation. However, if you have to arrange housing yourself it is best to go by word of mouth and personal recommendations. Depending on the kind of job you have, your housing might be a room in someone’s family home or a fabulous four room apartment (which is actually a three bedroom flat with just one bathroom).
Driving License
You can drive in Kyrgyzstan using a UK Driving Licence or an International Driving Permit. Service stations are limited outside the cities of Bishkek and Osh. Make sure you take all you need for your journey.
Take extra care when driving as many cars are not safely maintained and do not have rear seatbelts. Many roads are poorly maintained with road works or damaged roads often not clearly signposted. Roads outside the capital are often blocked by snow in winter.
For more information and advice please see the UK Government website >>
Healthcare
Kyrgyzstan has undertaken wide-ranging reforms of its health system in a challenging socioeconomic and political context. The country has developed two major health reform programmes after becoming independent: Manas (1996 to 2006) and Manas Taalimi (2006 to 2010). These reforms introduced comprehensive structural changes to the health care delivery system with the aim of strengthening primary health care, developing family medicine and restructuring the hospital sector.Major service delivery improvements have included the introduction of new clinical practice guidelines, improvements in the provision and use of pharmaceuticals, quality improvements in the priority programmes for mother and child health, cardiovascular diseases, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, strengthening of public health and improvements in medical education.
Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21697030
Hospitals
Eye Microsurgery Hospital
Address : Kyrgyz Republic , Bishkek street . Baitik Batyr 5
Tel: +996 (312 ) 51 07 81
Fax: +996 (312) 51 07 82
Email: [email protected]
Website: ismankulov.kg
Neomed
Centre for Medical Research and Consultancy
Address: Str. Orozbekova 46
Tel. 996 (312) 90 60 90
Website: neomed.kg
