🇰🇿Kazakhstan

Decision flow

Work out your regime before you book, not at the airport.

1. Check for visa-free access. Confirm whether your country has a unilateral visa-waiver (most EU countries, the USA, Canada, Australia) or a bilateral agreement. If so, entry is visa-free for 30 days - or 14 or 90 days depending on nationality.
2. Register in QazETA. Every visa-free traveler downloads the QazETA app before departure and applies for an Electronic Travel Authorization, at least 72 hours before departure. Recommended during the 2025–2026 pilot phase, strictly mandatory afterwards.
3. Get a Letter of Invitation, if you need an e-visa. No visa-waiver (Taiwan, for example) but on the list of 109 e-visa countries: you first need a Letter of Invitation (LOI) with a visa-support number from an approved Kazakh organization or travel agency.
4. Apply for the e-visa. With the LOI number, apply on the visa and migration portal (www.vmp.gov.kz), complete the form, pay the consular fee (USD 60 for a B12 tourist visa as of August 2026) and print the approved e-visa for border control. E-visa entry is allowed only at the international airports of Almaty (ALA) and Astana (NQZ).
5. Otherwise, a standard consular visa. Apply in person at a Kazakh diplomatic mission 1–2 months before the trip.

Entry formalities common to everyone

Paper migration cards are gone - fully abolished, nothing to fill in on the plane. What replaces them is digital and has deadlines.

• QazETA registration - due no later than 72 hours before departure for every visa-free traveler. It carries the health declaration (valid medical insurance, countries visited in the last 30 days) and the customs declaration.
• Arrival notification (eQonaq) - your host must register you with the migration authorities within 3 business days of entry, digitally via eQonaq.kz or vmp.gov.kz. The hotel, landlord or inviting person files it; you visit no office. Change accommodation or region and the new host files again, within the same 3 business days.
• Stays over 30 days - since 1 July 2026, anyone entering visa-free and staying more than 30 calendar days must register with the interior authorities within 30 days of crossing the border. You can do it yourself in the Migration Police Information System (IS MP), with confirmation from the property owner.

Customs limits:

• Cash - up to the equivalent of USD 10,000 per person duty-free; more must be declared in writing. Exporting cash above the equivalent of USD 10,000 is prohibited outright.
• Alcohol - adults over 18 may bring 3 liters duty-free, 3 to 5 liters attracts duty, above 5 liters is banned.
• Tobacco - 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco per adult.
• Personal items - food up to 10 kg per person, and at most 2 mobile phones, 2 tablets and 1 laptop.

What matters in practice

• Register in QazETA early, because the app fails. Reports from the r/PassportPorn community describe frequent errors scanning passport chips and in facial biometric verification, and the account locks after three failed attempts. Leave time to contact technical support.
• Chase your host for the eQonaq confirmation. Private hosts, Airbnb ones especially, ignore the 3-business-day deadline. The fine on them is 10 to 20 MCI - the 2026 MCI is 4,325 KZT, so roughly 43,250–86,500 KZT - but the problem lands on you.
• Ask for the QR-coded confirmation from the eQonaq portal at check-in. Travelers on r/Kazakhstan report that border guards do not ask for proof of registration on entry, but a missing eQonaq record causes serious complications and fines when you leave.

• The EAEU customs code applies, shared with Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, and it is what sets the allowances and the thresholds.
• Cash equivalent to USD 10,000 or more must be declared on entry and on exit.
• The allowance is 200 cigarettes and a small quantity of spirits per adult, with the goods limit depending on whether you arrive by air or overland - the air figure is the higher one.
• Antiquities and artwork need an export permit from the Ministry of Culture.
• The border with Russia and the Central Asian crossings are internal or external EAEU lines, and which one you are on changes what is checked.

Health, insurance and where to be treated

Health risks and vaccinations:

• No mandatory vaccination is required to enter the country, except an international yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from areas where the disease is present. Standard travel vaccinations are recommended: hepatitis A and B, tetanus, typhoid.
• Malaria and dengue risk: As of August 2026 the risk of malaria or dengue in Kazakhstan is assessed as zero; these diseases are not reported in the country in the government sources provided.
• In the forested mountain areas around Almaty (e.g. Medeu, Shymbulak, Ile-Alatau) there is a high risk from spring to autumn of ticks carrying tick-borne encephalitis. Regular body checks and the use of repellents are recommended.
• Tap water: Tap water in Kazakhstan is not drinkable. Travelers are advised to consume only bottled or filtered water, including for brushing teeth.

Healthcare and hospitals: The country has a network of private clinics and hospitals with modern equipment and English-speaking staff. Public hospitals vary considerably in quality of care and doctors' language skills there are minimal.

• Almaty:
  • International SOS Clinic: 11 Luganskogo Str. (tel: +7 727 258 1911) - top international care, 24/7 emergency, English-speaking staff.
  • Interteach Clinic: 275 Furmanova Str. (tel: +7 727 320 0200) - a private clinic specializing in care for expats and tourists.
• Astana:
  • International SOS Clinic: 62A Kosmonavtov Str. (tel: +7 7172 476 911) - comprehensive outpatient and emergency services for foreigners.
  • Interteach Clinic: 7 Kabanbay Batyr Str. (tel: +7 701 026 9454).

Travel insurance with sufficient medical coverage (including possible repatriation) is required to enter the country as part of QazETA registration and e-visas.

Accommodation

When choosing accommodation for your first days in Almaty and Astana, location relative to transport infrastructure and safety plays a key role.

Suitable districts in Almaty:

• Almaly District: The historic city center. Ideal for the first nights, within walking distance of the main sights, parks and metro stations. There are many cafes and restaurants here. The indicative price for a standard hotel room is around 15,000–30,000 KZT per night. A proven example is the Uyut Hotel.
• Medeu District: The prestigious and safest southeastern part of the city, closer to the mountains and the Kok-Tobe cable car. Suitable for families and more demanding travelers seeking quiet and cleaner air. Prices are higher: standard hotels start at 25,000 KZT, luxury complexes exceed 50,000 KZT per night. The district's traditional landmark is Hotel Kazakhstan.
• Bostandyk District: A modern financial and business district with the Forum Mall, Atakent and modern high-rises. Suitable for business travelers and those preferring modern infrastructure. Prices are around 20,000–40,000 KZT per night. A notable hotel in the area is the Holiday Inn Almaty.

Suitable districts in Astana:

• Left Bank (Esil District): The futuristic center of the capital, home to the skyscrapers, the Bayterek tower, the Khan Shatyr mall and the government quarter. It is the cleanest, most modern and best-guarded area of the city, ideal for a safe first encounter with Astana. Mid-range hotel prices are around 20,000–35,000 KZT per night.

Common accommodation practices:

• Check-in: On arrival the reception is required to ask for the original passport to verify identity. Hotels commonly require a refundable deposit in cash or a card hold, usually 10,000 KZT per stay.
• Registration obligation: At check-in guests must explicitly confirm whether the hotel has filed the digital notification of their stay to the eQonaq system. Reputable hotels do this automatically and, on request, print a confirmation with a QR code. For private rentals (e.g. via Airbnb), you must remind the landlord of this obligation right when booking.

What to buy right after arrival

Buy a digital eSIM before departure. A local physical SIM at the airport is possible, but it means passport registration at the counter and often sharply inflated tourist package prices.

Comparison table

The table below compares the main mobile operators and alternative eSIM networks in Kazakhstan as of August 2026.

Where exactly to buy

• Airports - official Beeline and Kcell kiosks sit in the arrivals halls at Almaty (ALA) and Astana (NQZ).
• City stores - authorized branches in the centres, such as the Dostyk Plaza mall in Almaty or Khan Shatyr in Astana. Check the specific branch's opening hours in advance.
• What registration takes - the original passport you crossed the border with, and payment by cash or card.
• Avoid Altel and Tele2 at the counter - fewer sales points, and staff often do not speak English.
• The free airport SIM is not a plan. Police hand out cards with a QR code to the state Safetravel.kz portal carrying 1 GB of free data; activating a standard package afterwards still needs passport registration.

Short verdict

Buy a Saily eSIM before departure. It runs on the Beeline network, which has the widest 4G/5G coverage in the country. You skip the airport queue and the forced passport registration with a local operator, and you have data the moment the plane lands.

Sockets in Kazakhstan are Type C and F at 230 V, 50 Hz - two round pins, the Soviet-era standard that matches European plugs.

• A Europlug fits every socket, and Schuko plugs fit the earthed ones.
• Older Soviet-built sockets are unearthed and slightly narrower than modern Schuko outlets, so a chunky European plug occasionally needs a shove.
• British, American and Australian plugs need an adapter.
• 230 V, so American 120 V-only equipment needs a converter.
• Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Russia use the same two round pins, so one adapter covers a Central Asian trip.
• Hotel rooms in Astana and Almaty increasingly carry USB sockets beside the bed, which saves the adapter for the laptop.

Local rules and cultural differences

While in Kazakhstan you must respect local laws and cultural norms; breaking them can lead to immediate detention, fines or deportation.

• Drones and UAVs: Kazakhstan strictly regulates drone use. Drones with a maximum take-off weight of 0.25 kg or more, or any drone equipped with a camera or other data-collecting sensor, must be registered with the Civil Aviation Committee (CAC). Registration is filed free of charge via the e-government licensing portal and takes up to 10 business days to process. Flying an unregistered drone, or flying without the relevant permit in prohibited zones (which include the vicinity of airports, military facilities, critical infrastructure and government buildings), is punishable by a heavy fine, detention of the pilot and confiscation of the device. Drone batteries must always be carried in hand luggage.
• Photography: It is strictly forbidden to photograph military facilities, government buildings, presidential palaces, border zones and airport infrastructure. Some large stores, supermarkets and the metro prohibit photography by internal rules. It is always safer to ask the security present before taking a photo.
• Alcohol and smoking: Drinking alcohol in public places (outside licensed restaurant and bar terraces) is banned and police actively enforce this with fines. Smoking (including e-cigarettes and vaping) is strictly forbidden in all enclosed public spaces, restaurants, building entrances and public-transport stops. Sale of tobacco products is allowed only to persons over 18; for energy drinks the limit is 21.
• Religion and dress: Kazakhstan is a secular state with a majority of Islam and Orthodox Christianity. When visiting mosques and temples, formal dress is required: men must wear long trousers; women must cover shoulders, knees and hair (a headscarf is usually available to borrow at the entrance).
• Dual citizenship: Kazakhstan strictly does not recognize dual citizenship. If the authorities find that a traveler holds both a Kazakh passport and that of another state, they face a heavy fine, forced removal of Kazakh citizenship and deportation.

Everyday practical information

• Power sockets: Standard European sockets of type C and F are used. Mains voltage is 220 V at 50 Hz. Europeans do not need an adapter.
• Time zone: The whole of Kazakhstan is in a single time zone, UTC+5 (introduced with effect from 1 March 2024). Daylight saving time (DST) is not observed.
• Opening hours:
  • Banks: Monday to Friday, usually 09:00–18:00 (closed on weekends).
  • Exchange offices: Many licensed offices in Almaty and Astana operate around the clock (24/7).
  • Supermarkets and malls: Most malls (e.g. Dostyk Plaza, Mega, Khan Shatyr) are open daily 10:00–22:00. Smaller grocery stores in residential districts often operate 24/7.
• Toilets: Public toilets are found in malls, metro stations and near major tourist attractions. Payment is usually required in cash (around 100–200 KZT) or via QR code; paper money is preferred.
• Public Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi is available at the Almaty and Astana airports, in malls and many cafes. Connecting to these networks, however, almost always requires authorization via an SMS code sent to a working phone number (foreign numbers may not be supported by the system).

Money and payments

The local currency is the Kazakhstani tenge (KZT). As of August 2026 the indicative rate is around USD 1 ≈ 460–490 KZT.

• ATM withdrawals: For the best rate and minimal fees, use only ATMs of the large banks located directly in the airport terminals - specifically Kaspi Bank and Halyk Bank. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are widely accepted. Kazakh ATMs (e.g. Kaspi Bank or Halyk Bank) charge no direct local withdrawal fee for foreign cards, but the final fee depends entirely on the terms of the foreigner's issuing bank. The per-withdrawal limit is commonly set at 100,000 to 200,000 KZT.
• The DCC trap (Dynamic Currency Conversion): When withdrawing from an ATM or paying at a terminal, you may be offered to settle the transaction in your card's currency (e.g. EUR/USD) instead of local KZT. Always strictly decline DCC and choose the transaction in KZT, otherwise you are charged an unfavorable rate losing up to 10–15%.
• Exchanging cash: Change money only at banks or officially licensed exchange offices (marked "Айырбастау пункті / Обменный пункт"). Street exchange is illegal. It is best to change undamaged, unmarked USD or EUR notes of higher denominations (50s and 100s get a better rate than small notes). Importing cash up to the equivalent of USD 10,000 is not subject to customs declaration; exporting cash over USD 10,000 is prohibited.
• Cashless payments and Kaspi QR: Kazakhstan is a highly cashless economy built on the Kaspi QR system. Foreign tourists, however, cannot fully activate the Kaspi app without visiting a branch in person, obtaining a Kazakh tax number (IIN) at a public service center and a Kazakh SIM. Moreover, under ARDFM Resolution No. 96, effective 19 January 2025, payment cards for non-residents without a residence permit are issued with a maximum validity of 12 months. The key solution for tourists in 2026 is the integration of the Alipay+ payment network into Kazakhstan's Kaspi QR system. Tourists worldwide who have compatible international e-wallets installed on their phones (e.g. Alipay, Kakao Pay and 10 other Alipay+ partners) can simply scan a Kaspi QR code at a merchant and pay directly from their app in their home currency. Standard physical Visa/Mastercard payments are common in hotels, supermarkets and brick-and-mortar restaurants in the big cities.
• Tipping: In the vast majority of restaurants and cafes a service charge is automatically added to the bill (usually 10% to 15% of the total, labeled "обслуживание"). Additional tipping beyond this is not expected.

Public transport in both metropolises works at a high level. Almaty has a clean, frequent metro (a single line connecting the center; a QR-code ticket costs 120 KZT) and an extensive bus and trolleybus network. When entering the metro, luggage must go through an X-ray scanner.

Key mobility apps (available for iOS and Android):

• Yandex Go: The dominant ride-hailing platform across Kazakhstan. Requires registration with a phone number and an SMS verification. Travelers are strongly advised to register the account and link a payment card (Visa/Mastercard) while still in their home country, since Kazakh networks may have trouble delivering authorization SMS to foreign SIMs. The service works reliably 24/7.
• 2GIS: The most important map and navigation app for Kazakhstan. It works offline after downloading a specific city's maps (Almaty, Astana). It shows detailed public-transport routes, real-time bus arrivals and exact building entrances, which regular Google Maps does not support.
• Avtobys: The official public-transport app in Astana. It allows real-time bus tracking, route search and buying electronic tickets by scanning QR codes on vehicle windows. Registration is also possible via Telegram.

• Yandex Go (official site: https://taxi.yandex.kz) - ride-hailing and logistics app.
• 2GIS (official site: https://2gis.kz) - offline map and search system for city navigation.
• eQonaq (official site: https://eqonaq.kz) - state information system for registering foreigners' arrivals.
• Avtobys (official site: https://avtobys.kz) - payment and tracking system for public transport in Astana.

A few tolled highways, distances measured in days, and a zero alcohol limit.

• The alcohol limit is zero and the penalties include licence confiscation.
• Some sections of the Astana-Almaty and Almaty-Khorgos highways are tolled, paid at plazas or by camera; the rest of the network is free.
• The distances are the plan. Almaty to Astana is 1,200 km, Astana to Aktau further still, and internal flights and trains do most of the work.
• Fuel is cheap and stations are far apart on the steppe routes; fill up at every opportunity west of Aral.
• Winter driving is serious. Blizzards close the intercity roads for days and the police shut them rather than rescue people.

Safety and the most common scams

Kazakhstan is generally a safe country with a low level of violent crime; government advisories as of August 2026 recommend following standard personal safety precautions. Travelers should nonetheless be extra careful in crowded places (the Zelyony Bazar market in Almaty, the Almaty-1 and Almaty-2 railway stations), where there is a risk of pickpocketing.

The most common scams targeting tourists:

• Overpriced airport taxis: Unofficial drivers in the arrivals halls approach new arrivals and offer rides into the center. At the end of the trip they demand astronomical sums (often 15,000 to 22,000 KZT instead of the standard 3,000–5,000 KZT). If you refuse, they may lock the luggage compartment. The defense is to ignore these people and use only the official desks (Blue Sky Taxi in Almaty, Astana Taxi in Astana) or the Yandex Go app.
• Exchange-rate manipulation: Some unofficial exchange offices in tourist areas display a very favorable rate on the board that in fact applies only to transactions above extremely high amounts, while charging small customers a hidden fee. Always ask for the exact final amount before handing over cash and require a printed receipt.
• Fake police: There have been cases of people in uniform demanding to check documents and cash on the street under the pretext of checking for counterfeit banknotes. Real police have no right to check a foreigner's cash on the street. If in doubt, insist on going to the nearest police station.

Emergency numbers

All of these are free from any phone. Operators rarely speak English, so have your address written in Russian or Kazakh, or use a translation app.

• 101 - Fire and rescue service
• 102 - Police
• 103 - Ambulance
• 112 - Single emergency number for major incidents

Travel insurance with sufficient medical cover, including possible repatriation, is required to enter the country as part of QazETA registration and e-visas.

Prepare the sentence, not the vocabulary

Kazakhstan's emergency system works; the friction for a visitor is language. 103 reaches an ambulance, and the person answering may have no English at all. Trying to improvise that conversation while something is going wrong is the failure everyone plans around too late.

Three things, done on the first day, remove almost all of it:

1. A hotel business card in your wallet, with the address in Cyrillic. It is the fastest way to answer the only question the dispatcher must have.
2. The same address saved as a note on your phone, plus your accommodation's own phone number.
3. A translation app with the Russian and Kazakh packs downloaded for offline use - the moment you need it is often the moment the data is not working.

Insurance has to cover the distance

Medical facilities are less advanced than travellers from western Europe expect, and outside the two big cities they are limited. The consequence is not that you cannot be treated - it is that a serious case may need to be moved, and moving people across a country this size means an air ambulance. Cover for evacuation and repatriation is the part of the policy that matters here, and it is the part cheap policies leave out.