Kazakhstan’s Civil Registry Service Celebrates 105 Years: How Life Event Registration Became Digital
In 2026, the Civil Registry Service of Kazakhstan (RAGS) celebrates its 105th anniversary. Over this period, the registration of births, marriages, and other life events has evolved from paper books and manual records to digital services accessible directly from a smartphone.
RAGS of Kazakhstan was among the first in the country and in the CIS to begin transitioning its work to an electronic format. Millions of records accumulated over more than a century have been digitized. As a result, information about births, marriages, and other life events is now available through electronic services. This has greatly simplified access to services: citizens are no longer tied to their place of residence. Today, it is possible to obtain a duplicate document or register a marriage anywhere in the country.
Currently, the RAGS system covers all regions of the country: there are 232 RAGS offices across Kazakhstan, employing 855 staff members. The scale of their work remains significant: in 2025 alone, approximately 337,000 births and around 116,000 marriages were registered in Kazakhstan. Positive trends continue this year, with around 49,000 births and approximately 14,000 marriages already registered since the beginning of 2026.
Modern RAGS is not only about digital services. Increasing attention is being given to ceremonial registrations of marriages and births. In 2025, 4,949 ceremonial marriage registrations and 454 ceremonial birth registrations were conducted nationwide.
“Over 105 years, the RAGS system has evolved from paper documents to a modern digital system. Combining a rich history with contemporary solutions, we continue to develop. Today, it is possible to proactively obtain a birth certificate, and through mobile applications, submit a marriage registration request. In an era of high mobility, such innovations save citizens’ time and make interaction with the government convenient and comfortable,” said Arman Kenzhegaliev, Chairman of the Board of the JSC State Corporation “Government for Citizens.”
In honor of the 105th anniversary, a ceremonial event was held, recognizing current employees of the system. Across the country, 44 employees were awarded the “10 Years of the State Corporation” badge, 20 specialists received letters of appreciation from the Chairman of the Board of the State Corporation, another 26 received certificates of honor, including 5 from the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, and 21 from the Chairman of the Board of KGU MIICDR.