Kazakhstan Entry and Travel Requirements
Kazakhstan entry requirements define all the rules that must be followed to enter the country easily. These rules also describe the types of documents that need to be prepared before a planned trip.
Among the most necessary documents to travel to Kazakhstan are a valid passport and visa. Make sure your passport is valid for at least 3 months after your Kazakhstan visa expires. Additionally, it must also have at least one blank page for stamping. Another document that you cannot enter Kazakhstan with is a visa. According to Kazakhstan's visa policy, there are 60 different countries whose citizens can visit Kazakhstan without a visa for stays ranging from 14 to 90 days. However, citizens of more than 180 other countries will need to apply for a visa before traveling to Kazakhstan.
A Kazakhstan visa can be obtained by visiting the nearest embassy or consulate or by submitting a visa application online.
Currently, more than 115 countries are eligible to apply for a Kazakhstan visa online. All visitors from these countries no longer need to make an appointment at the embassy and apply for a visa in advance. Electronic visas can be approved in just 3 business days and are issued via email, eliminating the need to visit the embassy.
However, nationals of approximately 65 other countries that are not eligible for a Kazakhstan e-Visa must obtain an embassy or consular visa, regardless of the length or purpose of their stay in Kazakhstan. Traditional visas are also available to all visitors who wish to stay in Kazakhstan for a longer period of time.
Currently, Kazakhstan immigration officials do not provide any visa-on-arrival services. Travelers planning a trip to Kazakhstan no longer have to worry about Covid restrictions. Since June 8, 2022, the country's authorities have lifted all requirements related to Covid-19, i.e. there is no need to provide proof of coronavirus vaccination and a negative PCR test certificate to Enter Kazakhstan.
Important:
All tourists planning to visit Kazakhstan must ensure that they are aware of the latest updates on entry requirements. These things may change in the short term in the context of the global Covid-19 epidemic still developing complicatedly.
Who can enter Kazakhstan?
There are no visas or entry bans for foreigners entering Kazakhstan. Additionally, the Covid-19 vaccination status of arriving travelers is no longer verified.
Document checklist for entering Kazakhstan
- valid passport
- Kazakhstan visa
- car insurance (required)
- Travel insurance (recommended)
Testing, Vaccination, and Quarantine Requirements
Request an inspection
Taking a PCR test before arriving in Kazakhstan is no longer mandatory.
Vaccination required
The country's authorities do not check the Covid-19 vaccination status of people entering Kazakhstan.
Quarantine required
If you test positive for Covid-19 while in Kazakhstan, you will have to self-isolate for 10 days.
If you test positive in Kazakhstan, you will have to self-isolate for 10 days. If you need medical assistance, you may be detained in government quarantine facilities.
Traveling from Kazakhstan
There are no specific requirements for travelers leaving Kazakhstan. However, each traveler should remember to familiarize themselves with the entry requirements of the country they plan to visit next.
You should also contact your airline or travel provider for the most accurate information about their travel regulations, such as testing or vaccination requirements.
Traveling to Kazakhstan
Before traveling to Kazakhstan, you should check the availability of flights operating to the country.
Since all Covid-19 entry documents have been removed, travelers no longer need to present vaccination certificates and negative tests. However, all passengers must meet any requirements that were still valid before the pandemic, such as having a Kazakhstan visa.
Entry Rules for Children
There are no separate entry requirements for minor visitors to Kazakhstan. They are subject to the same rules as adult visitors, including visa requirements.
Parents or legal guardians must ensure that each minor traveler has a valid visa to Kazakhstan and meets other remaining requirements for entry into the country.
Transit through Kazakhstan
When considering transit through Kazakhstan, you must meet the requirements of your final destination. Also, remember to check the airline or travel provider's requirements to ensure a hassle-free trip.
If you plan to check in (transit), such as staying one night at a hotel before catching a connecting flight the next day, you will need to follow the immigration procedures for regular travelers across to Kazakhstan.
Visa for transit purposes
Passport holders from India and the People's Republic of China have been able to transit through Kazakhstan without a visa since April 2018 under certain conditions. Specifically, a transit visa is not required when the transit stop lasts up to 72 hours, even at Almaty International Airport. Airport or Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport. Airport.
In addition, this visa-free transit regulation only applies to passengers with valid airline tickets and their flight is operated by one of the Kazakh airlines. In any other situation, a transit visa will be required.
Check if you can apply for a transit eVisa online and get a visa that allows you to make a 5-day transit stop in Kazakhstan before continuing your journey.
Visa requirements
Electronic visa for Kazakhstan
In 2019, the Kazakh government implemented an e-visa system to allow tourists from eligible countries to apply for visas to Kazakhstan completely online.
Eligible applicants can choose from three available e-visas that will best meet their travel needs. All visa types can be used for tourist or transit purposes and their validity varies depending on the type chosen.
To complete the Kazakhstan eVisa application, one must first check the eligibility. Next, you will need to complete a short online form and pay a processing fee. Once approved, the Kazakhstan eVisa will be sent to the applicant's inbox.
Embassy or consulate visa
According to Kazakhstan's immigration laws, citizens of approximately 65 different countries must apply for a diplomatic or consular visa before arriving in Kazakhstan, regardless of the purpose of their visit.
Individuals can choose between 40 different types of embassy visas issued at diplomatic missions of the government of Kazakhstan, i.e. embassies or consulates. Some of the most common types of visas issued include tourist visas, work visas, business visas, transit visas, etc.
To get an embassy or consulate visa for Kazakhstan, one has to go to the nearest Kazakhstan diplomatic mission and follow the entire lengthy procedure. It may be necessary to provide some supporting documents and cover the processing fee before the visa will be approved.
Consult the following list and find out whether your country is listed among those ones that need to obtain an embassy or consular visa for Kazakhstan:
- Afghanistan
- Aland Islands
- Albania
- American Samoa
- Anguilla
- Antarctica
- Bermuda
- Bonaire
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cape Verde
- Cayman Islands
- Christmas Island
- Cocos Islands
- Cook Islands
- Curacao
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Falkland Islands
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- Gibraltar
- Greenland
- Guadeloupe
- Guam
- Guernsey
- Iran
- Iraq
- Isle of Man
- Jersey
- Jordan
- Libya
- Martinique
- Mayotte
- Montserrat
- New Caledonia
- Niue
- Norfolk Island
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Pakistan
- Palestinian Territory
- Pitcairn Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Reunion
- Saint Barthelemy
- Saint Helena
- Saint Martin
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Sint Maarten
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Taiwan
- Timor Leste
- Tokelau
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- United States Virgin Islands
- Wallis and Futuna
- Yemen
Visa-exempt countries
There are about 60 different countries whose citizens can come to Kazakhstan without a visa and stay there for different periods of time. Visa-free entry is permitted for tourism and business purposes and can last from 2 weeks to 3 months, depending on the traveler's nationality.
Additionally, residents of the Balkan region of Turkmenistan can enter the Atyrau and Mangystau provinces of Kazakhstan without a visa and stay there for up to 5 days without a visa.
Most visa-free visitors who do not require a visa to enter Kazakhstan must present a valid passport. Kyrgyz citizens can use identity cards instead of passports, while Russian citizens are allowed to use domestic passports. Please note that for any purpose of travel other than tourism or business or for a longer stay in Kazakhstan, you may have to apply for a Kazakhstan visa directly from the embassy or consulate, immediately even if your country is listed as visa-free.
Below is the full list of countries whose citizens can visit Kazakhstan without a visa:
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of Cyprus
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uzbekistan
Travel Insurance
Although not required, visitors to Kazakhstan are required to have comprehensive travel insurance.
The cost of medical treatment can be very high, and a suitable insurance policy will cover any unexpected costs, such as hospitalization or medical transportation. Choose travel insurance that also covers Covid-19.
Please note that if you plan to use a car in Kazakhstan, car insurance will be mandatory and can be purchased at most land border crossings.