Visa policy of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan Visa with entry stamps of Almaty Airport and Korday border

Kazakhstan entry and exit stamps issued to a Singaporean national at Almaty International Airport

Registration Certificate for non-residents of Republic Kazakhstan

Visitors to Kazakhstan must obtain a visa from one of the Kazakh diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries or citizens eligible for an e-Visa.

Kazakhstan's visa and other migration policies are also implemented in accordance with the mobility rights arrangements within the Commonwealth of Independent States and the rules of the single market of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Visa policy map

Visa policy of Kazakhstan

  Kazakhstan

  Visa not required (90 days and may enter with internal passport or ID card)

  Visa not required (90 days)

  Visa not required (30 days)

  Visa not required (14 days)

  Visa required

Visa exemption

Ordinary passports

Holders of ordinary passports of the following countries and territories may enter Kazakhstan without a visa for the following period:^[1][2][3]

90 days  Albania^1  Andorra^1  Armenia^2  Belarus^2  Georgia  Kyrgyzstan^ID ^2  Moldova  Mongolia  Russia^IP ^2  Ukraine^2 30 days  Argentina^3  Azerbaijan  Brazil^3  China^2  Ecuador^4  Maldives  Nicaragua^4  San Marino  Serbia  Seychelles^4  South Korea^5  Tajikistan  Turkey  United Arab Emirates  Uzbekistan^7  Vietnam 14 days  Hong Kong  India^6  Iran^6  Macau

_{ID - May enter with an ID card.
IP - May enter with an internal passport.
1 - 90 days within any 365-day period.
2 - 90 days within any 180-day period.
3 - 30 days within any 1-year period.
4 - 30 days within any 180-day period.
5 - 30 days, 60 days within any 180-day period.
6 - 14 days, 42 days within any 180-day period.
7 - must register if staying longer than 5 days.}

Visa-free program

Citizens of the following countries may enter Kazakhstan without a visa for 30 days as part of a visa-free policy for countries with the large foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan's economy. These visitors can stay for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period (counted from the first entry).^[4]

The program was initially started on 15 July 2014 providing unilateral visa free access to 10 countries and in July 2015 it was further extended to a total of 19 countries, then to 43 in January 2017 and to 54 in September 2019.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

All European Union member states  Australia  Bahrain  Canada  Chile  Colombia  Iceland  Indonesia  Israel  Japan  Kuwait  Liechtenstein  Malaysia  Mexico  Monaco  New Zealand  Norway  Oman  Philippines  Qatar  Saudi Arabia  Singapore   Switzerland  Thailand  United Kingdom  United States  Vatican City

Date of visa changes

Citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan have never required a visa to enter Kazakhstan. 2 March 1992: Turkey 2 January 1995: Mongolia 28 May 2011: Serbia 26 July 2012: Hong Kong 15 July 2014: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States 1 November 2014: Argentina 29 November 2014: South Korea 15 July 2015: Australia, Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Monaco, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland 31 August 2016: Ecuador 6 September 2016: Brazil 1 January 2017: Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Israel, Ireland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia 10 March 2018: United Arab Emirates 29 September 2019: Bahrain, Colombia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Vatican City 8 July 2022: China, India and Iran [10] 14 September 2022: Maldives[11] 28 February 2023: Andorra[12] 25 April 2023: Albania[13] 26 July 2023: Nicaragua[14] 6 January 2024: Seychelles[15] 25 May 2024: Vietnam[16] 24 October 2024: Macau[17] Cancelled: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania: 22 October 1993[18] (was resumed in 2017) Hungary: 6 November 1996[19][20] (was resumed in 2015) Turkmenistan: 1 March 2001 Cuba: 10 January 2005[21][22]

•  Turkmenistan - residents of Balkan Region have visa-free entry to Atyrau Province and Mangystau Province for up to 5 days.^[23]

Non-ordinary passports

Under reciprocal agreements, holders of diplomatic or service passports of the following countries may enter and remain in Kazakhstan without a visa:^[24]

All European Union member states^1 2 D S  Albania^4 D S  Andorra^4 D S  Argentina^3 D S  Armenia^5 D S  Australia^6 D S  Azerbaijan^6 D S  Bahrain^6 D S  Belarus^5 D S  Bosnia and Herzegovina^6 D S  Brazil^3 D S  Canada^6 D S  Chile^3 D S  China^6 D S  Colombia^3 D S  Cuba^6 D S  Ecuador^7 D S  Egypt^3 D  Georgia^3 D S  Hong Kong^8 D S  Iceland^6 D S  India^6 D S  Indonesia^6 D S  Iran^6 D S  Israel^3 D S  Japan^3 D S  Jordan^6 D S  Kuwait^3 D S  Kyrgyzstan^4 D S  Liechtenstein^6 D S  Malaysia^6 D S  Maldives^6 D S  Mexico^3 D S  Moldova^3 D S  Monaco^6 D S  Mongolia^3 D S  Montenegro^3 D S  Morocco^6 D S  New Zealand^6 D S  Nicaragua^7 D S  North Macedonia^6 D S  Norway^1 D S  Oman^6 D S  Pakistan^6 D S  Paraguay^3 D S  Philippines^6 D S  Qatar^6 D S  Russia^5 D S  San Marino^6 D S  Saudi Arabia^5 D S  Serbia^6 D S  Seychelles^6 D S  Singapore^6 D S  South Korea^3 D S  Sri Lanka^6 D S   Switzerland^3 D S  Tajikistan^6 D S  Thailand^6 D S  Turkey^6 D S  Turkmenistan^6 D S  Ukraine^5 D S  United Arab Emirates^3 D S  United Kingdom^6 D S  United States^6 D S  Uzbekistan^6 D S  Vatican City^1 D S  Venezuela^3 D S  Vietnam^6 D S

_{D - Diplomatic passports
S - Service passports
1 - 90 days for diplomatic passports, 30 days for service passports.
2 - For citizens of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia: 90 days for diplomatic or service passports; for citizens of Austria, Croatia, Ireland, Malta, Sweden: 30 days for diplomatic or service passports.
3 - 90 days
4 - 90 days within any 365-day period.
5 - 90 days within any 180-day period.
6 - 30 days
7 - 30 days within any 180-day period.
8 - 14 days}

A visa is not required for holders of a UN Laissez-Passer for up to 30 days within any 180-day period.

Future changes

Kazakhstan has signed visa exemption agreements with the following countries, but they have not yet entered into force:

Country	Passports	Agreement signed on
Suriname	Diplomatic, official	25 January 2024
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Diplomatic, official	25 January 2024
Macao[25]	All	4 April 2024
Laos	Diplomatic, official	4 July 2024
Rwanda[26]	Diplomatic, service	September 2024
Morocco[27]	All	September 2024
Sierra Leone[28]	Diplomatic, service	September 2024

• In December 2018, it was announced that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan planned to mutually accept visas from February 2019,^[29] but this was delayed.
• In March 2019, it was reported that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were "ready to launch" a joint visa program that could extend to neighboring countries. All approvals have already been obtained, all that remains is to work out the technical details and equipment.^[30]

Electronic Visa (e-Visa)

Citizens of other countries (except Afghanistan, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Pakistan, Palestine, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Timor-Leste and Yemen) may obtain an e-Visa.^[31][32][33]

Kazakhstan issues business, investor, medical treatment and tourist e-Visas. Holders of an e-Visa must arrive via Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport or Almaty International Airport.

Visa required in advance

Citizens of the following countries and territories must apply for a visa at a Kazakhstan embassy or consulate:

Afghanistan  Cape Verde  Democratic Republic of Congo  Equatorial Guinea  Iraq  Jordan

Libya  Pakistan  Palestine  Solomon Islands  Somalia  South Sudan

Sudan  Syria  Taiwan  Timor-Leste  Yemen

Pre-arranged visa on arrival

A pre-arranged visa for a stay of up to 1 month may be obtained on arrival for citizens arriving from a country without a Kazakh diplomatic mission. The fee is approximately 80 USD, and they must hold an invitation letter and obtain an approval from the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They must enter via one of the following ports of entry:^[1]

• Aktau Airport
• Almaty International Airport
• Atyrau Airport
• Oral Ak Zhol Airport
• Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport

Visa types

Kazakhstan issues 39 types of visa.^[34]

A
	Diplomatic visa
	A1	Issued to foreign dignitaries, diplomats traveling on official business and diplomatic couriers
	A2	Issued to diplomats accredited to Kazakhstan
	Service visa
	A3	Issued to members of the official delegations, accredited mass media journalists, military personnel on official visits and dependents, members of international organizations, diplomatic couriers without a diplomatic passport, service passport holders on official business
	A4	Issued to administrative-technical and maintenance staff of foreign missions and offices
	Investor visa
	A5	Issued to heads and deputy heads and heads of structural divisions of legal entities carrying out investment activities and their family members
B
	Business visa
	B1	Issued to participants of conferences and meetings, persons accompanying humanitarian aid, lecturers, participants in youth programs and student and school exchanges
	B2	Issued to persons installing or maintaining equipment or to persons providing consulting and auditing services
	B3	Issued to persons arriving for negotiations or to the founders or the board directors
	International road carriage visa
	B4	Issued to persons engaged in international road transport
	B5	Issued to aircraft, train and sea and river vessel crews
	Visa for participation in religious events
	B6	Issued to persons participating in the activities of religious associations, except for missionary activity
	Student visa
	B7	Issued to persons for practical training or internships and their family members
	Permanent residence visa
	B8	Issued to persons arriving to register a permit for permanent residence
	B9	Issued to persons arriving for permanent residence
	Private visit visa
	B10	Issued to persons traveling for private reasons, funerals, former compatriots, persons accompanying family members who are citizens of Kazakhstan and spouses or children of ethnic Kazakhs
	Adoption visa
	B11	Issued to persons for adoption of citizens of Kazakhstan
	Tourist visa
	B12	Issued to persons traveling as tourists
	Transit visa
	B13	Issued to persons transiting through the territory of Kazakhstan
	Exit visa
	B14	Issued to permanent residents when exiting for permanent residence abroad
	B15	Issued to persons who have lost their passport in Kazakhstan
	B16	Issued to persons whose visa validity was reduced
	B17	Issued to persons under administrative responsibility, not associated with deportation, if there are no reasons for further stay
	B18	Issued to persons who arrived or are staying without a valid visa, if there are no reasons for further stay
	B19	Issued to persons who have served criminal sentence or were exempted or whose probationary control or deferral expired
	B20	Issued to persons who have presented proof of force majeure for overstay
	B21	Issued to persons who were victims of grave or especially grave crimes
	B22	Issued to persons charged with criminal offense where the criminal case has been closed or other persons in respect of whom legal restrictions on exit are lifted
C
	Permanent residence visa
	C1	Issued to ethnic Kazakhstan traveling to Kazakhstan for permanent residence
	Family reunification visa
	C2	Issued to family members of Kazakhstan national who are permanently residing in Kazakhstan, ethnic Kazakhs and former compatriots with temporary residence permit, foreigners and stateless persons permanently residing in Kazakhstan as well as business immigrants
	Work visa
	C3	Issued to persons traveling to Kazakhstan or persons in Kazakhstan and their family members for the purpose of employment
	C4	Issued to persons traveling to Kazakhstan or persons in Kazakhstan for self-employment in professions that are in demand in the priority sectors of the economy
	C5	Issued to business immigrants
	C6	Issued to seasonal workers
	Missionary activity visa
	C7	Issued to persons carrying our missionary activities and their family members
	Humanitarian purposes visa
	C8	Issued to volunteers and providers of humanitarian aid and with a view to charity and grants provision
	Education visa
	C9	Issued for the purpose of admission to educational organization in secondary, technical and vocational, post-secondary, higher and postgraduate education
	Private trip visa (ethnic Kazakhs)
	C10	Issued to ethnic Kazakhs
	Minor citizens visa
	C11	Issued to underage persons permanently residing in Kazakhstan or who have arrived to Kazakhstan without a visa or to persons born in Kazakhstan intending to go abroad
	Medical treatment visa
	C12	Issued to persons traveling for treatment, medical examination or consultation and accompanying persons as well as persons in Kazakhstan in the event of the need for treatment; persons traveling to Kazakhstan with the aim of caring for close relatives who are citizens of permanent residents of Kazakhstan and who are treated in hospitals or persons in Kazakhstan in case of need to care for close relatives

Admission restrictions

Entry and transit is refused to citizens of Kosovo, even if not leaving the aircraft and proceeding by the same flight. Kazakhstan also does not recognize the passports of Abkhazia, the Sahrawi Republic, Somaliland, South Ossetia and Transnistria.^{[citation needed]}

Visitor statistics

Year	Visitors
1992—1995	No data
1996	202,000[35]
1997	284,000[35]
1998	257,000[35]
1999	394,000[35]
2000	1,683,000[35]
2001	1,693,000[35]
2002	3,678,000[35]
2003	3,237,000[35]
2004	4,291,000[35]
2005	4,365,000[35]
2006	4,707,000[35]
2007	5,311,000[35]
2008	4,117,000[35]
2009	3,774,000[35]
2010	4,097,000[35]
2011	5,685,000[35]
2012	6,163,000[35]
2013	6,841,000[35]
2014	6,333,000[35]
2015	6,430,000[35]
2016	6,509,000[35]
2017	7,701,000[35]
2018	8,789,000[35]
2019	8,115,000[35]
2020	2,035,000[35]

Most visitors arriving in Kazakhstan were from the following countries of nationality:^[36]

Country	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013
Uzbekistan	3,344,577	2,459,757	2,297,180	2,107,177	2,494,568
Russia	1,708,873	1,587,409	1,646,568	1,757,721	1,780,574
Kyrgyzstan	1,273,378	1,348,709	1,359,625	1,308,139	1,382,706
Tajikistan	383,368	207,009	158,507	137,443	186,214
Azerbaijan	110,810	94,846	89,296	83,174	112,617
Germany	99,396	90,286	88,346	79,572	75,491
Turkey	98,840	89,611	106,301	104,986	92,070
China	94,817	117,465	111,706	228,617	205,066
Belarus	70,810	63,520	62,786	55,356	55,090
Ukraine	66,041	73,390	97,100	84,932	82,971
Turkmenistan	63,249	63,156	69,230	66,938	47,711
South Korea	30,582	22,276	22,046	20,445	16,620
United States	29,632	26,402	29,124	25,824	22,508
Armenia	26,169	26,097	37,461	39,934	54,244
India	21,890	13,975	11,170	10,725	9,929
United Kingdom	21,341	20,166	24,201	23,036	22,389
Total	7,701,196	6,509,390	6,430,158	6,332,734	6,841,085

See also

• Visa requirements for citizens of Kazakhstan

References

1. "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
2. "Visa regime of the Republic of Kazakhstan for foreign citizens".
3. "Visa-free regime for foreign citizens".
4. "Stay of visa-free programs citizens".
5. "The citizens of 83 countries to visit Kazakhstan without visas since 2017". primeminister.kz. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
6. "New rules for Kazakhstan entry visas issuance to come into force on January 1, 2017". mfa.gov.kz. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
7. "Infographics Countries with 30 days visa-free regime on 1 January 2017". Archived from the original on 30 December 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
8. "About introduction of amendments to the resolution of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan of January 21, 2012 No. 148 "About the approval of Rules of entrance and stay of immigrants in the Republic of Kazakhstan..."". egov.kz. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
9. "Постановление Правительства Республики Казахстан от 18 сентября 2019 года № 693 «О внесении изменения в постановление Правительства Республики Казахстан от 21 января 2012 года № 148 «Об утверждении Правил въезда и пребывания иммигрантов в Республике Казахстан, а также их выезда из Республики Казахстан и Правил осуществления миграционного контроля, а также учета иностранцев и лиц без гражданства, незаконно пересекающих Государственную границу Республики Казахстан, незаконно пребывающих на территории Республики Казахстан, а также лиц, которым запрещен въезд на территорию Республики Казахстан»".
10. "Kazakhstan grants nationals of India, Iran, China visa free stay for 14 days". 10 July 2022.
11. "Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Republic of Maldives on mutual exemption of visa requirements". gov.egov.kz. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
12. "Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Principality of Andorra on mutual exemption of visa requirements".
13. "Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania on mutual exemption of visa requirements".
14. "Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua on mutual exemption of visa requirements".
15. "Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on mutual exemption of visa requirements".
16. Kazakhstan - Visa-free travel policy with Vietnam introduced
17. Macau and Kazakhstan ink visa-free travel agreement
18. "О введении визового (разрешительного) порядка въезда граждан Латвийской, Эстонской и Литовской Республик на территорию Республики Казахстан - ИПС "Әділет"". adilet.zan.kz. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
19. Was applied under visa exemption agreement between USSR and Hungary
20. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Republic of Hungary about the order of mutual visa-free trips of citizens with diplomatic and service passports. See Article 7.3 (in Russian)
21. Was applied under visa exemption agreement between Cuba and USSR
22. "О ратификации Соглашения между Правительством Республики Казахстан и Правительством Республики Куба о порядке взаимных поездок граждан обоих государств - ИПС "Әділет"". adilet.zan.kz. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
23. "О ратификации Соглашения между Правительством Республики Казахстан и Правительством Туркменистана о взаимных поездках граждан - ИПС "Әділет"". adilet.zan.kz. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
24. "Визовый режим РК с другими государствами - Электронное правительство Республики Казахстан". egov.kz. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
25. Kazakhstan, Macao Sign Visa-Free Agreement
26. Соглашение между Правительством Республики Казахстан и Правительством Республики Руанда о взаимном освобождении от визовых требований владельцев дипломатических и служебных паспортов
27. Morocco, Kazakhstan Sign Visa-Free Agreement, Boosting Bilateral Ties
28. [1]
29. "Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan To Launch 'Silk Visa' Program in February". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
30. "Joint visa plan opens doors for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
31. "Kazakhstan eVisa".
32. "Countries available for e-visa".
33. "Who may obtain an e-Visa?".
34. "Kazakhstan visa policy" (PDF). Retrieved 17 June 2019.
35. "International tourism, number of arrivals: Kazakhstan". data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
36. "stat.gov.kz". stat.gov.kz. Retrieved 17 June 2019.

External links

• "Visa Regime of Kazakhstan with other countries" (in Russian). The Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 3 June 2017. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.