On the second day of Chief Executive John Lee’s trade mission to Central Asia, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan signed 43 memorandums of understanding covering investment, technology and—crucially for global mobility—aviation and visa facilitation. Speaking in Astana on 2 June 2026, Lee confirmed that a Hong Kong carrier will launch direct flights to Almaty in Q1 2027 and that the SAR aims to extend mutual visa-free stays with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to a uniform 30 days. The agreements include a US $100 million joint venture to build a blood-purification manufacturing centre in Kazakhstan and plans for the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) to assist Astana International Financial Centre with green-finance listings. For corporate mobility managers, streamlined air links and simplified entry rules translate into faster rotations for engineering and finance personnel and reduced reliance on connecting flights via Seoul or Dubai.
![Hong Kong Signs 43 Deals in Kazakhstan, Including Direct Flights and Longer Visa-Free Stays]()
Organizations looking to capitalize on the new 30-day Central Asian visa policies can simplify paperwork and monitor regulatory updates through VisaHQ’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/), which offers real-time alerts, application support and consolidated corporate account management for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and dozens of other destinations.
Hong Kong already enjoys visa-free access to all three Central Asian republics, but the permitted stays vary from 10 to 30 days. Standardising at 30 days will align with the timeframe usually granted to mainland Chinese passport holders under China–Kazakhstan arrangements, thus easing dual-passport assignments. The delegation also kicked-off negotiations on an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and on an Avoidance of Double Taxation pact—both legal frameworks that multinational employers look for before relocating staff. Cathay Pacific is widely tipped to operate the Almaty route, which will plug Hong Kong into Kazakhstan’s burgeoning oil, mining and IT sectors while giving Kazakh businesses one-stop access to the Greater Bay Area and onward connections across Asia-Pacific. Travel-risk advisers note that Kazakhstan’s e-visa system remains in beta and recommend maintaining printed invitation letters until the new bilateral arrangements take effect. Lee’s week-long tour continues to Uzbekistan later this week, where similar aviation and tax-treaty discussions are expected. Companies with Central Asia supply chains should monitor forthcoming gazette notices detailing the exact effective dates of the visa-free extensions and new flight schedules.
Organizations looking to capitalize on the new 30-day Central Asian visa policies can simplify paperwork and monitor regulatory updates through VisaHQ’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/), which offers real-time alerts, application support and consolidated corporate account management for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and dozens of other destinations.
Hong Kong already enjoys visa-free access to all three Central Asian republics, but the permitted stays vary from 10 to 30 days. Standardising at 30 days will align with the timeframe usually granted to mainland Chinese passport holders under China–Kazakhstan arrangements, thus easing dual-passport assignments. The delegation also kicked-off negotiations on an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and on an Avoidance of Double Taxation pact—both legal frameworks that multinational employers look for before relocating staff. Cathay Pacific is widely tipped to operate the Almaty route, which will plug Hong Kong into Kazakhstan’s burgeoning oil, mining and IT sectors while giving Kazakh businesses one-stop access to the Greater Bay Area and onward connections across Asia-Pacific. Travel-risk advisers note that Kazakhstan’s e-visa system remains in beta and recommend maintaining printed invitation letters until the new bilateral arrangements take effect. Lee’s week-long tour continues to Uzbekistan later this week, where similar aviation and tax-treaty discussions are expected. Companies with Central Asia supply chains should monitor forthcoming gazette notices detailing the exact effective dates of the visa-free extensions and new flight schedules.
