Kazakhstan temporarily suspended its unilateral visa-free regime (COVID-19 update)

Please be informed that in accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated April 30, 2021, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Kazakhstan, the Government of Kazakhstan has extended the suspension of its unilateral visa-free 54 states*, until 31 December 2021.

The 72-hour visa-free regime has also been suspended for Chinese and Indian nationals who transit through the international airports of Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Shymkent, Aktau, Karaganda, and Taraz until 31 December 2021.

Belgian and Luxemburgish citizens seeking entry or reentry to Kazakhstan prior to December 31, 2021, will require a valid visa, issued at the Consular Section of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Brussels.

All Kazakh visas will be issued in accordance with the current rules of issuing visas of the Republic of Kazakhstan.     

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Please note that citizens of 54 countries, including Belgium and Luxembourg, have the right to obtain a single-entry visa to Kazakhstan without a formal letter of invitation (visa support) in the following categories:
- Service (A3) - duration of stay 90 days
- Business (B1) - duration of stay 60 days
- Business (B3) - duration of stay 30 days
- Private (B10) - duration of stay 90 days
- Tourist (B12) - duration of stay 30 days.

For all other visa categories, citizens of the above countries will need to provide a formal letter of invitation (visa support) issued via the Immigration Agency in the Republic of Kazakhstan, with the exceptions specified in the Rules of Issuing Visas of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

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Attention!

Passengers arriving in Kazakhstan from foreign countries should have a negative PCR test certificate (no more than 3 days should pass from the day the result is issued till the moment of crossing the border of the Republic of Kazakhstan).

Kazakhstan citizens

• Kazakhstan citizens will not be allowed on board at the departure airport without a negative PCR test result. 

Foreign citizens including those with a residence permit in the Republic of Kazakhstan

• Without a negative PCR test, passengers will not be allowed on board at the departure airport.

From 5 June 2021, the PCR test result is not required for persons, who have received a full course of vaccination against COVID-19 in the Republic of Kazakhstan, upon providing documentary evidence.

Please note:

• PCR test certificate must be in English, Russian or Kazakh languages.
• PCR test certificates obtained at any certified laboratories will be accepted, both in paper and digital versions.
• PCR test certificate is also required from international transit passengers connecting in Kazakhstan.
• Children under 5 years old do not need to take the test.

All passengers arriving in Kazakhstan from foreign countries are required to familiarize themselves with the governmental sanitary and quarantine rules.

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Visa regime of the Republic of Kazakhstan for foreign citizens

Update on travel restrictions to Kazakhstan 

Attention! Only the citizens of the countries with which Kazakhstan resumed direct air communication can enter the territory of Kazakhstan during the period of the quarantine restrictions, in addition to those who have permission granted by the Inter-Governmental Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan (in the latter case, the foreign citizen must provide an excerpt of the protocol of the Inter-Governmental Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which s/he can request from the inviting organization).

In accordance with the decisions of the Intergovernmental Commission for the Prevention of Coronavirus, recommendations of the Kazakh Healthcare Ministry, and the level of the epidemiological threat according to the World Health Organization map, Kazakhstan resumed international flights to Turkey, S.Korea, the UAE, Belarus, Germany, the Netherlands, Egypt, Ukraine, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Sri Lanka, Montenegro, Poland*.

Attention! As of 2 February 2021, the following categories of foreigners are allowed to enter the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan not more than once in 30 days:

• foreigners (stateless persons) holders of residence permits (or the status of an oralman) in the Republic of Kazakhstan and their family members (spouse, their children);
• foreigners (stateless persons) who are family members of citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan - subject to confirmation of family ties (spouse, their parents, and children) and their minor children;
• family members and close relatives (spouse, parents (parent), children, adoptive parents, adopted children, full and half brothers and sisters, grandfather, grandmother, grandchildren) following to the funeral, as well as persons accompanying the body (ashes) of deceased family members and close relatives to the place of burial;
• those following to care for seriously ill family members and close relatives (spouse, parents (parent), children, adoptive parents, adopted children, full and half brothers and sisters, grandfather, grandmother, grandchildren) and their minor children, in the presence of supporting documents from a medical institution about a serious illness;
• 719-596

Procedure for Crossing the State Border of the Republic of Kazakhstan from May 11, 2020 During Quarantine Restrictions

* 54 countries of visa waiver: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA, Vatican, Vietnam.

Please find here a sample letter for the visa request and the visa application.